January 2025 Sets Record as Warmest Month Despite La Niña Conditions

Global temperatures soared 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels, raising alarms about accelerating climate change and the failure to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

January 2025 was the warmest month ever recorded globally, with an average surface air temperature of 13.23°C, exceeding the critical 1.5°C warming threshold above pre-industrial levels.
This marks the 18th month out of the last 19 with global temperatures above the 1.5°C threshold, defying expectations of cooling from La Niña conditions in the Pacific.
Scientists attribute the record-breaking temperatures to the long-term effects of greenhouse gas emissions, with concerns that climate change is overwhelming natural cooling patterns.
Extreme weather events accompanied the heat, including devastating wildfires in Los Angeles that destroyed 11,000 homes and hurricane-force winds from Storm Eowyn in the UK.
Experts warn that urgent global action is needed to phase out fossil fuels, reduce emissions, and develop resilience strategies against increasingly severe climate impacts.