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LAST MONTH WAS the hottest January on record, despite an emerging “La Nina” weather pattern that cools global temperatures, scientists have said.
January 2025 was 0.79C above the 1991-2020 global average for the month and 1.75C above pre-industrial levels, scientists from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said.
It makes it the 18th month in the last 19 for which average global air surface temperatures were more than 1.5C above what they were before the industrial era.
The analysis, using billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world, also found the last 12-month period, from February 2024 to January 2025, was 1.61C above the estimated 1850-1900 level which is used to define the pre-industrial era.
The record highs come despite the emergence of the La Nina pattern in the Pacific which temporarily cools global temperatures.
The data shows sea surface temperatures outside the polar regions averaged 20.78C, making it the second hottest January after last year’s record.
Temperatures were below average in the central Pacific but close to or above average in the eastern Pacific – suggesting a slowing or stalling of the move to La Nina conditions, while sea surface temperatures were unusually high in many other oceans and seas.
The average temperature over land in Europe was 1.8C, which is some 2.51C above the 1991-2020 average for January, making it the second warmest January for the continent after 2020.
While temperatures were most above average over southern and eastern Europe, they were below average in the UK and Ireland, Iceland, northern France and northern Scandinavia.
Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts which runs C3S, said: “January 2025 is another surprising month, continuing the record temperatures observed throughout the last two years, despite the development of La Nina conditions in the tropical Pacific and their temporary cooling effect on global temperatures.
“Copernicus will continue to closely monitor ocean temperatures and their influence on our evolving climate throughout 2025.”
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