Monthly global temperature record broken again in October: UN weather body

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - The monthly global temperature record was again smashed in October, and 2023 is almost certain to be the warmest year on record, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said Friday.

The WMO will issue its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin on Nov. 17 on atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other gases driving climate change, the organization's media officer Clare Nullis said at a UN press conference.

"The monthly global temperature record was once again smashed in October, continuing an extended streak of extraordinary land and ocean surface temperatures and low sea ice," said Nullis.

She cited the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), noting that October was the fifth straight month of record-warm global temperatures.

"This means that 2023 is almost certain to be the warmest year on record," said Nullis.

WMO will confirm its finding in its provisional State of the Global Climate 2023 report, to be released on Nov. 30 on the opening day of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP28, in Dubai.

In another milestone, October marked the sixth consecutive month that Antarctic sea ice extent remained at record low levels for the time of year, with a monthly value 11% below average.

"Arctic sea ice extent reached its 7th lowest value for October, at 12% below average," said Nullis.

In the Antarctic, October's average sea ice extent was 16.6 million km2, 2.0 million km2 (or 11%) below the 1991-2020 average for October.

WMO said the Antarctic level was the lowest extent for October by a large margin within the 45-year satellite dataset and well below the previous lowest extent of 5% below the average recorded in October 1986.

The WMO media officer said such is the concern about the rate and extent of climate change at the Poles that the French government convened a One Planet-Polar summit this week.

WMO was one of the co-organizers of the three-day event, which brought together hundreds of scientists, policymakers, and local communities.

WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas and IPCC Chair Jim Skea will address the concluding high-level meeting of heads of State and government on Friday.

French President Emmanuel Macron will present the Paris Call for Glaciers and Poles, said the WMO.