Temperature Records

Hottest year and month on record

2024 was the hottest year in human history.
The previous hottest year was 2023.
January 2025 was the hottest January in human history.

Many internet posts state that 2024 was the hottest year in human history. So, I asked ChatGPT if this was, in fact, the case. Here is what it said.

Yes, 2024 was the hottest year on record in human history. According to NASA, Earth's average surface temperature in 2024 was 2.30 degrees Fahrenheit (1.28 degrees Celsius) above the 20th-century baseline, surpassing the previous record set in 2023.
nasa.gov

Similarly, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that 2024 was the warmest year in the contiguous United States, with an average annual temperature of 55.5 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 3.5 degrees above the 20th-century average.
noaa.gov

This significant increase in global temperatures is attributed to human-induced climate change, primarily driven by the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. The year 2024 also marked the first time global temperatures exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a critical threshold identified in international climate agreements.
reuters.com

It is interesting to see that ChatGPT included citations from credible sources. This seems to be a new development.

I then asked if January 2025 was the hottest January in human history. Here is the reply.

Yes, January 2025 was the hottest January on record globally. According to climate scientist Zeke Hausfather, the month was 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels, surpassing the previous record set in January 2024.
threads.net

This record warmth is particularly notable because it occurred during La Niña conditions, which typically have a cooling effect on global temperatures.
climate.gov

Despite the absence of an El Niño event, which usually contributes to higher global temperatures, January 2025 still experienced unprecedented warmth.
discovermagazine.com

Regionally, countries like Russia reported unusually warm conditions, with temperatures well above freezing in typically cold regions such as Moscow and Siberia. This led to phenomena like flowers blooming in January, indicating significant climate anomalies.
apnews.com

These developments underscore the ongoing impact of human-induced climate change, as global temperatures continue to rise, leading to unprecedented weather patterns and temperature records.

What ChatGPT did not tell us is that it is probable that we have just experienced the coolest January that we will see in our lifetime.

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