On December 31, Moscow State University (MSU) said that the average temperature in 2024 in Russia will reach 8.2 degrees Celsius, becoming a record high temperature in the past 245 years.
According to the MSU Center for Meteorological Observation, the previous record was 8 degrees Celsius, set in 2020. Although January and May were particularly cold, the remaining ten months of the year were significantly warmer than normal.
The highest temperature recorded in 2024 was 33.1 degrees Celsius on July 4, while the lowest temperature was minus 24.9 degrees Celsius on January 4.
September was marked by exceptionally high temperatures, averaging 17.9°C, 5.7°C above the climatic average for the period and the hottest September on record. The previous record for the hottest September was set some 180 years ago, at 17°C during the reign of Tsar Nicholas I.
In addition, September 2024 in Russia not only broke the temperature record but also recorded up to 263 hours of sunshine.
Experts explain this phenomenon of increased temperatures and unusual warmth as being due to the influence of high air masses and climatic interference zones extending over central Russia.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations' climate and weather agency, has predicted that 2024 will be the warmest year on record.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world has witnessed the 10 hottest years in history, including this year.
