August 2024 has been declared the third warmest August ever recorded, according to the EU’s climate service, Copernicus. This assessment underscores the continued trend of rising global temperatures and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.

Only August of 2023 and 2016 were warmer. The global average air temperature near the Earth’s surface reached 16.6 degrees Celsius in August, exceeding the 1991-2020 average for the month by 0.49 degrees Celsius.

The month saw several devastating weather-related disasters across the globe. In northern India, at least 130 people died due to an unusually intense monsoon. Spain experienced a severe heatwave, resulting in 1,100 deaths, according to the Carlos III Health Institute.

Researchers at Copernicus attribute these extreme weather conditions to human-caused global warming. A spokesperson emphasized the urgent need to reduce emissions and adapt to more frequent and intense climate extremes, given the unusually warm state of the world’s oceans.

The summer season, spanning July and August, was also the third warmest on record. In Europe, the average land temperature in August was 19.46 degrees Celsius.

Denmark experienced a dry and sunny August with a slightly below-average temperature. The average temperature nationwide was 16.5 degrees Celsius. The highest temperature recorded was 30.1 degrees Celsius, while the lowest was 4 degrees Celsius.