2025 Sets Temperature Record Despite La Nina Influence

January 2025 has been recorded as the hottest January on record, with global temperatures 0.79°C above the 1991-2020 average, Anadolu Agency revealed citing a report by the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The report indicates an absolute surface air temperature of 13.23°C, marking a significant rise of 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels.

Levent Kurnaz, director of the Climate Change and Policy Application and Research Center at Bogazici University, noted that 18 of the last 19 months have exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial averages. Despite the influence of La Nina, which typically cools ocean temperatures, January saw 22 of its 31 days set temperature records.

The average sea surface temperature reached 20.78°C, just shy of last year’s record but the second-highest for January. Kurnaz cautioned that while February may not continue this trend, a shift to El Nino could lead to even higher temperatures in the future.