77 countries experience unprecedented average temperatures in 2023: reports

In 2023, the world saw record temperatures that affected water supplies and caused water-related problems. Heatwaves led to worsening and new droughts in South America and Canada. There were also many heavy rain events, including several cyclones, as reported by the 2023 Global Water Monitor.

The world’s water cycle in 2023 was affected by changes in the movement and temperature of ocean water in the Pacific Ocean. This change went from La Niña conditions to El Niño conditions. But this happened while sea surface temperatures were generally increasing because of global warming. These higher temperatures made storm systems like tropical cyclones stronger and rainier. There were many such events in 2023, causing a lot of damage to people and economies.

Rain, floods, wildfires, drought in 2023

The year started with ongoing heavy rain and floods in the Philippines and the western USA. In February, cyclone storms hit Madagascar, Malawi, and Mozambique in southeast Africa, while heavy rain led to floods and landslides in southeastern Brazil.

In April, a big heatwave hit southeast Asia, followed by Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar. The first half of the year also saw very dry conditions in northern Argentina and nearby areas, and in southwestern Europe.

In May, northern Italy’s dry spell was suddenly broken by heavy rain and floods. From June to August, a very wet season in South Korea, India, and Pakistan caused landslides and flooding. At the same time, Canada experienced very dry and hot weather, leading to a record number of wildfires. Starting in July, South America faced very dry and hot conditions repeatedly, causing a quick-growing drought in the Amazon basin that got worse in the second half of the year.

In 2023, we also observed other cyclones behaving in unexpected and deadly ways. A cyclone journeyed across to New Zealand. The South-Eastern Africa endured the battering from the longest-lived cyclone ever recorded for weeks. Furthermore, a cyclone originated in the Mediterranean Sea, crossed from Greece, and destroyed reservoir dams in Libya, causing the death of thousands.

In September, a cyclone in the Mediterranean brought heavy rain to Greece and caused dams in Libya to fail, leading to thousands of deaths. In November, heavy rain and flooding interrupted several years of worsening drought in Somalia, but nearby South Sudan is still mostly in a drought. The end of 2023 saw severe storms with heavy rain and flooding on Australia’s northeast coast.

2023: Record temperatures, changing water conditions

Rainfall was around the usual amount. There doesn’t seem to be a clear pattern of more extreme rainfall each month. The average temperature was the highest ever recorded worldwide and in 77 countries. There were also more record-warm months than ever before.

The air was the second driest it’s ever been, continuing a trend of drier conditions. Most places were drier than normal. Despite this, many regions had a lot of water in the soil over the year.

Plants were healthier than they’ve been since 2001, continuing a steady improvement over the last few decades. The amount of water on the surface from bodies of water and floods was the second lowest in twenty years. However, months with a record amount of water seem to be increasing worldwide.

Rivers had a bit less water than the previous year. It’s becoming more common for rivers to have a record amount of water, and less common for them to have a record low amount of water. Lake volumes have been increasing over the last few decades, and high storage records are being broken more often.

In 2023, many records for dry and wet conditions in land water storage were broken. This includes all parts of the land water cycle. This happened even though there were several months of missing data.

Looking ahead to 2024 and beyond

As 2024 began, the areas most at risk of developing or worsening droughts seem to be Central and South America (except southern Brazil and Uruguay), southern Africa, and western Australia. Areas that are unlikely to face drought for at least a few months include the Sahel region and the Horn of Africa, northern Europe, India, China, southeast Asia, and southern Brazil and Uruguay.

Places that had a lot of rain at the end of 2023 are not likely to have droughts for a few months. These places include the Sahel region and the Horn of Africa, northern Europe, India, China, and Southeast Asia.

The events of 2023 show that climate change is becoming a bigger threat to our planet and our lives every year. There were many events in 2023 that had a big impact on people and economies. These events are part of a larger pattern that’s emerging.

Around the world, heavy rain and flooding are happening more often and more intensely. At the same time, droughts are happening more often and developing faster. These “flash droughts” can lead to crop failure and wildfires within weeks or months. With the challenges of feeding the world, protecting biodiversity, and urgently needing to reduce carbon emissions, these droughts and fires are some of our biggest global threats.

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