January 2026 — 5th warmest on record: EU climate monitor

Brussels: January 2026 was the fifth-warmest on record globally, with contrasting temperature extremes seen in both hemispheres, the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported on Tuesday.

The global average temperature in January 2026 stood at 12.95 degrees Celsius, 0.28 degrees Celsius cooler than the record-warm January 2025, ranking as the fifth-warmest January worldwide, the report said.

The Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere experienced different extremes in January, according to the report. Severe cold waves hit the Northern Hemisphere, notably Europe and North America, contributing to Europe’s coldest January since 2010, with an average temperature of minus 2.34 degrees Celsius.

In the Southern Hemisphere, record-breaking heat fueled worsening wildfires across Australia and Patagonia, while late-month heavy rains in Southern Africa triggered severe flooding.

“January 2026 delivered a stark reminder that the climate system can sometimes simultaneously deliver very cold weather in one region, and extreme heat in another,” said Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

She added that while human activities continue to drive long-term warming, these recent events underscore the need to strengthen resilience and accelerate adaptation to escalating extremes to better prepare society for heightened climate risks ahead.

The average sea surface temperature for January 2026 between 60 degrees south latitude and 60 degrees north latitude reached 20.68 degrees Celsius, the fourth-highest for January on record, 0.29 degrees Celsius below the January 2024 record.

According to the report, Arctic sea ice extent in January was 6 per cent below average, the third lowest on record for the month, while Antarctic sea ice extent was 8 per cent below average, Xinhua news agency reported.

A wave of extreme weather has swept across Europe in recent weeks, as powerful Atlantic storms battered southern countries with flooding, while Arctic cold gripped parts of central and northern Europe, leaving dozens dead, thousands displaced and causing widespread disruption.

IANS