Earth suffered its hottest January on record last month

It has worried scientists

January 2025 was expected to be slightly cooler than the previous year's - itself the hottest recorded January - because of the “La Nina” weather pattern in the Pacific that cools global temperatures.

However, last month was 0.97C above the 1991-2020 global average for the month and 1.75C above pre-industrial levels according to scientists from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

This breaks January 2024's record by nearly 0.1C.

It becomes the 18th month in the last 19 where average global air surface temperatures were more than 1.5C above the 1850-1900 level.

The C3S's analysis uses billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world.

Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of the 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."

Due to La Nina, temperatures were below average in the central Pacific. But, they were close to or above average in the eastern Pacific – which scientists say suggests a slowing or stalling of the move to La Nina conditions.

Sea surface temperatures were unusually high in many other oceans and seas. 

On land, the average temperature in Europe was 1.8C, some 2.51C above the 1991-2020 average for January.

Outside Europe, temperatures were above average over parts of Canada, Alaska, and Siberia.

They were also above average over southern South America, Africa, and much of Australia and Antarctica.

Temperatures were below average over the US and the easternmost regions of Russia. The Arabian Peninsula and Southeast Asia also had below-average temperatures.