Weather Insider: April 2024 global climate report

According to a new report from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), April 2024 came in as the warmest April in their 175-year record. Globally, the month was 2.38°F (1.32°C) warmer than the 20th-century average. This is an alarming trend as it marks the 48th consecutive April with temperatures above the 20th-century average and the 11th consecutive month with record high temperatures. NOAA now gives 2024 a more than 60 percent chance of being the warmest year on record.

This past April also recorded the lowest extent of snow cover on record for the northern hemisphere. As well, both the Arctic and Antarctic saw very low levels of sea ice coverage. These, combined with extreme precipitation events like the flooding in Dubai made for a very memorable month.

While most places saw warmer than usual temperatures, much of Australia, Scandinavia, and Northwest Russia saw cooler than average temperatures. It's also worth mentioning that the northern hemisphere recorded the warmest ocean temperatures for the month on record, a foreboding sign for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season.