The climate crisis is intensifying, with 2023 set to be the hottest year on record according to a study using the China global Merged Surface Temperature dataset 2.0 (CMST 2.0).
2023 is projected to be the hottest year ever, with May being the warmest month recorded, based on the CMST 2.0 dataset study.
The climate crisis is reaching an unprecedented level of urgency as global temperatures soar to record-breaking heights, with July 2023 marking another alarming milestone.
Based on the China global Merged Surface Temperature dataset 2.0 (CMST 2.0), a new study led by Prof. Qingxiang Li from Sun Yat-sen University has revealed that 2023 is expected to be the hottest year ever. Li is also a research fellow at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The findings were published on September 19 in the scientific journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.
Analysis of the CMST 2.0 Data and Predictions for the Future
The researchers analyzed the CMST 2.0 dataset and discovered that 2023 has already experienced the third hottest first half-year since records began, narrowly trailing 2016—the warmest year—and 2020—the second warmest. The global mean sea surface temperatures (SSTs) surged to an all-time high in April, while global mean land air temperatures followed suit by reaching their second-highest monthly level in June. This combination resulted in May being crowned the hottest month ever recorded for global mean surface temperatures.
Global temperatures will continue to rise into the second half of 2023, driven by factors including El Niño and widespread wildfires. Both global mean SSTs and global mean land temperatures reached unprecedented highs for July, shattering previous records.
“Given the current trajectory and short-term forecast results of El Niño, along with the extremely positive phase of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation that strongly influences global surface temperatures, 2023 is expected to be the hottest year on record,” said Prof. Li. “Moreover, 2024 may witness even higher global surface temperatures.”
The Significance of the CMST 2.0 Dataset
The CMST 2.0 dataset, developed by Prof. Li’s team, is one of the most comprehensive global surface temperature benchmark datasets to date. It takes into account the accuracyHow close the measured value conforms to the correct value.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>accuracy of both global and regional climate change, raising the level of global temperature monitoring to a new level.
The dataset integrates over a century’s worth of global land-air temperature data and state-of-the-art research results from across the globe, resulting in an invaluable resource for climate scientists and policymakers. Based on this dataset, the team was the first to point out that the much-talked-about “global warming hiatus” during the last decade was just a statistical artifact, and in 2022, the dataset was expanded to include Arctic temperature data, further enhancing its global coverage.
Accessible to both the scientific community and the general public, the CMST 2.0 dataset is freely available on the Global Climate Change Observation and Modeling Data Platform.
The Urgent Need for Action
As global warming accelerates, the likelihood of extreme weather events and disasters increases. Therefore, immediate and sustained efforts are needed to mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change.
Reference: “Record-breaking High-temperature Outlook for 2023: An Assessment Based on the China Global Merged Temperature (CMST) Dataset” by Zichen Li, Qingxiang Li and Tianyi Chen, 19 September 2023, Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.
DOI: 10.1007/s00376-023-3200-9
Source: SciTechDaily
