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Asia warming nearly twice global average, hit hard in 2024: WMO

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Climate Trends in Asia 2024

Asia experienced an exceptionally warm year in 2024, with the average temperature rising by 1.04 degrees Celsius above the last 30-year average, according to a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report. The continent is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, leading to various extreme weather events and significant economic impacts.

Extreme Weather Events

  • Asia faced 29 tropical cyclones, prolonged heat waves, and extreme rainfall events.
  • In India, extreme heatwaves caused over 450 deaths, with temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius.
  • Deadly lightning events in India resulted in approximately 1,300 deaths.
  • Asia's most severe tropical cyclone, Yagi, caused extensive damage across several countries, including the Philippines and China.
  • Marine heatwaves covered nearly 15 million square kilometers.

Glacial and Rainfall Changes

  • 23 out of 24 glaciers in central-south Asia experienced mass loss.
  • Urumqi Glacier No.1 recorded its most negative mass balance since 1959.
  • Above-normal rainfall was noted in regions such as the Arabian desert and parts of Myanmar.

Expert Commentary

Professor Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General, emphasized the significant repercussions on societies and ecosystems due to changes in climate indicators like surface temperature and sea levels.

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  • Climate Trends in Asia
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