Concern over hottest ever January

Despite the beginnings of a cooler La Niña Pacific weather pattern, January 2025 was the world’s warmest January ever, confounding scientists who expected it to be cooler than last year

MONTHLY GLOBAL SURFACE AIR TEMPERATURE ANOMALIES (°C)

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
-0.5
0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0

PRE- INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE

JANUARY ANOMALIES (°C)

1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

Jan 1, 2025:
1.75°C
above pre-industrial
average

Jan 1, 2024:
1.66°C

Jan 1, 1940:
0.01°C

Measurements
taken on first
day of each
month

JAN
01

Sources: Copernicus, ECMWF, BBC
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