Last month smashed previous temperature records to become the hottest November on record.
This marks the fifth consecutive record-breaking month as every single month since June has been the hottest ever recorded.
Data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) found that November had an average global temperature of 57.6°F (14.22°C).
This is 1.53°F (0.85°C) hotter than the average of the last 30 years.
November’s exceptionally warm temperatures also make this the hottest autumn since records began.
November was the fifth month in a row to break record temperatures as the Copernicus Climate Change Service records the hottest autumn ever. Pictured: a beach in Corsica on November 20
The findings are based on computer analyses of the ERA5 dataset, a set containing billions of hourly meteorological recordings from satellites, ships, and weather stations.
The analysis found that November’s temperature anomaly – the difference between recorded temperature and the average between 1991 and 2020 – was one of the biggest ever recorded.
This year’s boreal autumn – the period between September and November – was also the hottest recorded by a large margin, with an average temperature of 59.54°F (15.3°C) – 1.58°F (0.88°C) above average.
In addition, Europe experienced its second warmest autumn with average temperatures 2.57°F (1.43°C) above the baseline average.
This year has been the hottest November on record as the average air temperatures 1.53°F (0.85°C) above the average for 1991 to 2020
Samantha Burgess, deputy director of C3S, said: ‘2023 has now had six record breaking months and two record breaking seasons.
‘The extraordinary global November temperatures, including two days warmer than 2°C above preindustrial, mean that 2023 is the warmest year in recorded history.’
Global average temperatures for January to November rose slightly above the 11-month average for 2016, the previous hottest year.
Throughout the year the average temperature was 2.63°F (1.46°C) above the pre-industrial average for between 1850 and 1900.
This is only a few degrees away from the symbolic 1.5°C of warming that countries pledged to avoid as part of the Paris climate agreement.
The data showed that global temperatures have been rising steadily, giving us the hottest November, autumn, and year on record
The findings come as world leaders gather for COP28 to discuss international policy on climate change.
There, countries are expected to agree on proposals to reduce the impact of methane emissions and lay out a pathway to reducing fossil fuel use.
However, data released by the Global Carbon Budget reveals that emissions of CO2 have risen to an all-time high in 2023.
C3S global director Carlo Buontempo said: ‘As long as greenhouse gas concentrations keep rising we can’t expect different outcomes from those seen this year.
‘The temperature will keep rising and so will the impacts of heatwaves and droughts.
‘Reaching net zero as soon as possible is an effective way to manage our climate risks.’
Average global temperatures for 2023 were only just shy of the 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels that nations pledged to avoid as part of the Paris Climate Agreement
Data also reveals that the 10 years between 2010 and 2020 were the hottest decade in human history across land and sea.
Worryingly, this is also causing sea temperatures to rise and ice sheets to thin.
Antarctic sea ice was at its second-lowest ever level of November at nine per cent below average.
This comes after ice thickness hit record low values for the time of year by large margins for six consecutive months.
Arctic sea ice was less affected at the 9th lowest recorded level but was still four per cent below average for November.
This is likely linked to the rise in sea temperatures which were the highest on record for November.
