China’s Meteorological Agency Reports 2024 as the Hottest Year in the Nation’s Recorded History

Department of Research, Studies and International News 02-01-2025

China has reached a sobering milestone, recording its warmest year on record in 2024. This marks the culmination of a trend observed over the past four years, which have collectively been the hottest since the nation began systematically tracking temperatures in 1961, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

The CMA disclosed that the average national temperature in 2024 soared to 10.92 degrees Celsius (51.66 degrees Fahrenheit). This represents a significant increase of 1.03 degrees Celsius from 2023, establishing a new high in the country’s climatological history. “The past four years have been the warmest ever recorded in China, and notably, all ten of the warmest years since 1961 have occurred during the 21st century,” the agency emphasized in a report published on its official website Wednesday evening.

This national temperature surge is mirrored in specific regions, with Shanghai, the bustling financial center of China, experiencing unprecedented heat. According to the city’s meteorological bureau, the average temperature in Shanghai reached 18.8 degrees Celsius (65.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in 2024—the highest since record-keeping began there in 1873.

In the southern city of Guangzhou, residents endured an exceptionally long summer, with an unprecedented 240 days where temperatures consistently exceeded 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit). This broke the previous record of 234 days set three decades ago in 1994.

The trend extended beyond summer months, as 2024 also saw the hottest July, August, and autumn ever documented in China.

Accompanying these record-breaking temperatures were extreme weather events and natural disasters. Increased temperatures correlated with intensified rainfall and more destructive storms.

Meanwhile, regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, and areas along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River suffered severe heatwaves and drought during the early autumn months, exacerbating water scarcity and agricultural strain.

Environmental advocacy groups and international organizations have voiced their alarm at the ongoing trends. Greenpeace highlighted the increasingly concerning patterns of extreme heat in China. The group noted that these severe temperature spikes are occurring earlier each year, while the geographical areas affected continue to expand.

“Climate impacts in China are intensifying, and their effects on the population’s daily lives and economic stability are becoming ever more pronounced,” Greenpeace warned.

On a global scale, the United Nations has confirmed that 2024 is set to be the hottest year ever recorded worldwide. These alarming developments are attributed primarily to global warming driven by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels.

The cascading effects of higher temperatures, including increased atmospheric moisture and warmer oceans, exacerbate climate phenomena. Warmer air holds more water vapor, leading to heavier downpours, while warmer seas fuel stronger storms, creating a feedback loop of extreme weather conditions.

Beyond human suffering, the economic consequences of climate-related disasters have been staggering. Zurich-based insurance firm Swiss Re estimated that such events led to a staggering $310 billion in economic losses globally in 2024, underscoring the urgent need for collective action against climate change.