Copernicus reports that February ranked as the fifth-warmest February globally on record, despite an unusually cold month across parts of Europe. Global average air temperature hit 13.26 °C, which is 0.53 °C above the 1991–2020 norm and 1.49 °C above pre-industrial levels. Severe storms and flooding affected western Europe, North Africa and other regions, underlining growing climate risks and the urgency for coordinated global action.
February Was The Fifth-Warmest On Record — Even As Much Of Europe Went Through A Cold Spell
A deer can be seen in Bushy Park, in the early morning sunlight. John Walton/PA Wire/dpa
February brought a striking contrast: unusually cold conditions across parts of Europe, yet it ranked as the fifth-warmest February globally since modern records began, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service reported.
Global Temperatures
Copernicus' monthly analysis shows the global average air temperature for February reached 13.26 °C, which is 0.53 °C above the 1991–2020 average. Compared with the pre-industrial baseline (1850–1900), the month was 1.49 °C warmer, underscoring the ongoing long-term warming trend.
Storms and Flooding
A series of intense storms and heavy rainfall struck parts of western Europe and North Africa. France, Spain, Portugal and Morocco experienced severe flooding that led to fatalities, widespread damage and the disruption of livelihoods. Flooding was also reported in other regions during February, including Australia, Mozambique and Botswana.
Europe's Paradox: Cold Month, Warmer Season
On average, Europe's land temperature in February was −0.07 °C, slightly below the 1991–2020 average. Temperature patterns were mixed across the continent: western, southern and south-eastern Europe were warmer than usual, while Scandinavia, the Baltic states and north-western Russia saw colder-than-normal conditions. Looking at the meteorological winter as a whole (December–February), Europe experienced one of its two coldest winters in the past 13 years — yet the season still averaged 0.09 °C above the 1991–2020 baseline.
Why This Matters
The extreme weather events and the contrast between regional cold spells and global warmth highlight the complex ways climate change affects weather patterns. Samantha Burgess, Copernicus’ strategic lead for climate, said these events underline the growing impacts of climate change and the need for coordinated global action. Copernicus derives its updates from computer-based analyses that integrate billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations worldwide, providing a robust picture of changing global conditions.
Bottom line: Regional cold snaps can coexist with record-high global averages, and the broader trend of global warming continues to amplify extreme weather risks.
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