The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has confirmed in its latest bulletin that the month of March 2023 has been the second hottest on a global scale, at least since records exist. Thanks to the analyzes carried out through measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations from all corners, it has been confirmed that temperatures were above average in southern and central Europe and that many countries have beaten temperature records.
The area with new temperature records in March is made up of North Africa, southwestern Russia and most of Asia, despite the fact that above-average measurements were also recorded in northeastern North America, Argentina and other South American countries, part of Australia and the coast of Antarctica. These data reflect the impact of climate change as announced by the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) in its most recent report.
The bulletins published by the European system are mainly based on the variations registered in surface air temperature, sea ice coverage and hydrological variables on a global scale, highly relevant data for verifying the development of climate change on our planet.
Regarding this field, Copernicus indicates that the Antarctic ice extent was the second lowest for a month of March in the satellite data record. After its record set in February, it is currently 28% below the average, an alarming figure for professionals.
Likewise, the Copernicus Climate Change Service affirms that the sea ice cover in the Arctic was 4% below average in March, thus assuming the fourth lowest reading for a month of March since records have been available for satelite.
C3S Deputy Director Samantha Burgess revealed in the statement: “After a record low extent in February, Antarctic sea ice marked its second lowest extent for the month of March within the 45-year satellite data set. years, thus continuing the long-term trend of declining sea ice in the polar regions. Climate monitoring is essential to understand these rapid and continuous changes at both poles."
Regarding the hydrological aspects analyzed by the center, they have confirmed that last March was wetter than average in a band from west to northwest. The regions that experienced a higher than average degree of drought are found in the Iberian Peninsula, Central Europe, the eastern Balkans and the northwest coast of the Caspian Sea, where several forest fires occurred.
By contrast, the month of March has been wetter than normal in parts of Asia, the Horn of Africa, New Zealand and southern Africa, where rainfall caused flooding that left irreparable damage.
Following the recommendation of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the C3S has looked at the last thirty years to calculate climatological averages, changing the reference period from 1991 to 2020 for its climate bulletins from January 2021 onwards.
Copernicus is a component of the EU-funded European Union Space Program that watches our planet, operating through six thematic services: atmosphere, seas, land, climate change, security and emergencies. The program is managed by the European Commission, which is implemented in collaboration with Member States, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).
The European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts operates two services of the European Union's flagship Earth observation programme: the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS).
