2024 becomes warmest year in India since 1901: IMD | India News

NEW DELHI: India recorded its highest temperatures since 1901 in 2024, with the average minimum temperature rising 0.90 degrees Celsius above the long-period average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday.
The annual mean temperature reached 25.75 degrees Celsius, exceeding the long-period average by 0.65 degrees. Surpassing previous record from 2016, when the mean land surface air temperature was 0.54 degrees Celsius above normal, making it the warmest year in records dating back to 1901.
During a virtual press briefing, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that the annual mean land surface air temperature across India in 2024 exceeded the long-term average (1991-2020 period) by 0.65 degrees Celsius.
The average maximum temperature registered 31.25 degrees Celsius, 0.20 degrees above normal, whilst the average minimum temperature stood at 20.24 degrees Celsius, 0.90 degrees above normal, Mohapatra added.
The IMD chief noted record-breaking average minimum temperatures for July, August, September and October, with February recording the second-highest temperatures.
The European climate agency Copernicus said that 2024 was likely the warmest year in recorded history, marking the first instance where global average temperatures rose 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, news agency PTI reported.
According to an annual review report by two climate research organisations, World Weather Attribution and Climate Central, the world experienced an average of 41 additional days of dangerous heat levels in 2024.
Mohapatra further emphasised the significant rise in minimum temperatures during 2024. “Long-term data shows most parts of the country are witnessing a rising trend in minimum temperatures, particularly in post-monsoon and winter seasons,” he added.
The IMD predicted short-lived La Nina conditions, featuring cooler central Pacific Ocean surface temperatures, would develop in January, typically associated with colder north Indian winters.
“It is unlikely to significantly impact the warming trend,” an IMD scientist told news agency PTI. June 2023 initiated the first monthly global temperature exceeding the 1.5-degree threshold, continuing throughout the year, except July 2024.
Specialists indicate that global temperatures will now consistently exceed this threshold. Global average temperatures have increased by 1.3 degrees Celsius compared to the 1850-1900 baseline, resulting from increased atmospheric greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane.