Time and again, the data paints a consistent picture: 2024 stands as Earth's warmest year on record, surpassing the previous record-holder, 2023 (SN: 12/6/23). Yet, the human toll cannot be fully captured by mere temperature readings: oppressive humidity that strains the body's cooling mechanisms; nighttime temperatures that disrupt sleep; widespread power outages; wildfire smoke; devastated crops; and a surge in mosquito-borne diseases (SN: 9/20/24). Simultaneously, record-high water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico intensified hurricanes Helene and Milton (SN: 10/9/24). Helene's relentless rains led to catastrophic flooding across six southeastern U.S. states, claiming over 200 lives (SN: 10/1/24).
Other regions around the globe also bear witness to the devastating effects of 2024's extreme heat. Here are some of those stories. Arizona's capital, Phoenix, endured 113 consecutive days with daytime temperatures exceeding 100° Fahrenheit, resulting in hundreds of heat-related fatalities. Phoenix boasts one of the world's most significant urban heat islands, with city temperatures averaging about 12 degrees higher than those in surrounding rural areas.
An unprecedented heatwave, exacerbated by an extended drought, triggered blackouts and was linked to over 120 deaths. The ensuing water scarcity raised alarms that North America's largest metropolis was on the brink of Day Zero — a hypothetical day when the region would exhaust its water supply. In the Southern Hemisphere, extreme heat during winter, coupled with prolonged drought, ignited wildfires in Brazil's Amazon rainforest. Fine particulate levels in São Paulo's air soared to 14 times the World Health Organization's recommended limit, earning the city the dubious distinction of being the world's most polluted for four consecutive days, from September 9 to September 12.
During a heatwave in Brazil, the highest recorded temperature reached 107.6° F. However, the heat index — which factors in humidity — skyrocketed to a record 144.1° F, pushing human heat tolerance to its limits. The Philippines' sprawling metropolis, home to over 14 million people, suffered through a deadly 15-day heatwave, an event that would have been inconceivable without climate change. The heatwave brought water shortages, crop losses, and school closures.
While the temperatures during the Olympics may not have set new records, they were still dangerously high. Researchers found that without climate change, Paris would have been about 5 degrees cooler, making the Games safer for athletes. Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, is heating up at a rate twice the global average. In August, temperatures in the world's northernmost settlement, on Norway's Spitsbergen Island, reached an all-time high for the month, soaring to 68° F — more than 3 degrees higher than the previous record set in 1997. In July, ice caps there experienced the highest daily melting rate on record, losing ice at a rate five times the norm.
Heatwaves across West Africa's Sahel region caused widespread power outages and a surge in hospital admissions. From April 1 to April 4, a hospital in Mali's capital recorded 102 deaths; in contrast, the previous year saw 130 deaths for the entire month of April. Climate change intensified daytime highs by 2.7 degrees and kept nighttime temperatures 3.6 degrees warmer than usual. A three-day heatwave exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Palestine. Nearly 2 million displaced people in refugee camps and overcrowded shelters faced inadequate protection from the heat, along with water and food shortages, power outages, limited access to healthcare, and spikes in waterborne diseases.
India's capital territory endured 40 consecutive days with daytime highs reaching 104° F, culminating in a new record of 121.8° F on May 28. The relentless heat claimed over 100 lives, according to estimates by the nonprofit organization HeatWatch India. At the peak of winter, temperatures across a large swath of the continent hovered at –4° F, about 50 degrees higher than normal. This event marked the largest temperature anomaly recorded anywhere this year.
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