Global temperature record streak continues – April 2024 was the hottest on record

April 2024 recorded the highest global surface air temperature for any April, reaching an average of 15.03°C, surpassing the 1991-2020 average by 0.67°C, and exceeding the previous record set in 2016 by 0.14°C. According to data from the EU's climate monitor, this is the eleventh consecutive month with record-high temperatures for the respective month of the year. Temperatures were 1.58°C higher than the pre-industrial average from 1850-1900. The 12-month period ending in April 2024 marked the warmest on record, with temperatures 0.73°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.61°C above the pre-industrial average. European temperatures in April were 1.49°C above the 1991-2020 average, making it the second warmest April on record for the continent. Eastern European regions experienced temperatures most above average, while Fennoscandia and Iceland saw below-average temperatures. April's overall mean temperature concealed varying conditions at the start and end of the month across western Europe. Beyond Europe, significant temperature increases were noted in northern and northeastern North America, Greenland, eastern Asia, northwest Middle East, parts of South America, and most of Africa. Global sea surface temperatures averaged over 60°S–60°N reached 21.04°C, the highest on record for April, just shy of the 21.07°C recorded in March. This marked the thirteenth consecutive month with record-high SSTs for each respective month. Despite the weakening El Niño, marine air temperatures remained exceptionally elevated.