A year of extreme weather that challenged billions

Climate change has brought extreme heat this year, and extreme weather, from hurricanes to month-long droughts.

This year is set to be the hottest ever, with new research showing that people around the world have experienced an extra 41 days of extreme heat as a result of climate change.

Researchers from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) team at Imperial College and Climate Central said the study showed “we are living in a new climate of extremes”.

From Brazil to Indonesia we look back at the climate events that affected the lives of billions in 2024.

This was a hot year – temperature records were broken on land and sea several times.

In April, many countries, from Lebanon in the west to Cambodia in the east, suffered from prolonged heatwaves, bringing the risk of dehydration and fever.

But Julie Arrighi, director of programs at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center, said the results were not uniformly heard.

“Young people are over 65 years old especially those with pre-existing health conditions [are at risk] – they can’t stand the heat,” he said.

He said that people who are in conflict also suffer a lot because of their houses, including living in temporary places, which can increase the heat, or the disruption of water supply.

Research has shown that people over time can change the high temperature, but even taking this into account, scientists at the WWA and Climate Central estimate that in 2024 people around the world will experience 41 days of extreme heat – compared to the world without climate change.

Dr Friederike Otto, director of WWA and Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at Imperial College London, said: “The consequences of fossil fuel warming have never been clearer or more devastating than in 2024.

“We are living in a new era of danger – the bad weather has created endless problems.”

Regional temperatures around the Amazon region increased dramatically natural weather known as El NiñoBut WWA and Climate Central researchers said climate change remained a force.

Combined with higher temperatures, rainfall was also reduced across South America. Officials in Colombia also reported that the levels in the Amazon River have been reduced by 90% which has a significant impact on electricity, productivity and causing wildfires.

Nearly half a million children are expected to be affected when schools in Brazil and Colombia are closed due to a lack of drinking water, according to Unicef.

The Amazon River is also an important way to save the rainforest of the same name – which provides support for thousands of species and supports global efforts to combat climate change.

“We are afraid [climate change ] It can push forests to become drier, leading to less moisture and carbon sinks, as well as loss of biodiversity,” said Dr Regina Rodrigues, professor of Physical Oceanography and Climate at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil.

“All these complex processes are necessary not only locally but also regionally and globally in order to continue life as we know it,” he said.

While some suffer from lack of rain, others drink too much.

The Philippines experienced a record-breaking six typhoons in just 30 days in October and November – this came after six months of typhoons. The country is one of the countries most vulnerable to this typhoon due to its location near warm ocean waters.

Landslides and floods caused by this season’s typhoon have killed more than 1,200 people in Southeast Asia.

There is currently no evidence that climate change is increasing the number of hurricanes, typhoons or typhoons (the same event but named differently around the world), although research suggests that they may be increasing their intensity.

But an analysis of the climate by WWA scientists concluded that the warming of the oceans that occurred in 2024 was “helpful” to create such storms, and that this warming has been exacerbated by climate change.

Dr Zach Zobel, associate scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, who was not involved in the study, supported the WWA approach but added: “[This season] they didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know was coming in 1.3-1.5C [warmer] the world.

“Scientists have been warning about these catastrophic events on the rise for years, if not decades,” he said.

Even the richest countries have not been able to adequately protect themselves from this year’s worst weather. The US was hit by two hurricanes in a row – first Hurricane Helene and then Hurricane Milton – which killed more than 260 people and caused damage worth $115bn (£92bn), according to research from Christian Aid.

Scientists had predicted about “strange” weather due to the warming of the Atlantic Ocean, which creates hurricanes.

But although Hurricane Beryl was the first Atlantic storm on July 2, there was a mid-season lull before Hurricane Helene.

Dr Otto told the BBC that storms can usually warm the ocean and block new storms for a long time, but the best evidence shows “because the entire upper ocean was so warm this didn’t happen.”

He added that WWA intends to review this in the future.

Floods in Sudan and Nigeria in August and September showed that bad weather can worsen if not managed properly.

Heavy rains start in July brought floods that caused several dams to collapse and killed many people and forced thousands from their homes.

A report from WWA and Climate Central estimates that these storms have become more common as a result of human warming, and are expected to occur about every three to 10 years.

Julie Arrighi from the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center, said: “Our research continues to show the importance of preparing for extreme weather to reduce loss of life and damage.

“We are not well prepared for life at 1.3-1.5°C of warming.”