Asia warming twice as fast as global average, warns WMO report
Dehradun: Asia is warming at nearly twice the global average, with temperatures rising by 1.04°C above the 1991–2020 baseline in 2024, according to the World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) 'State of the Climate in Asia 2024' report released on Monday.
The warming trend from 1991 to 2024 was nearly double the rate seen from 1961 to 1990, the report said, adding that depending on the dataset, 2024 was either the warmest or second warmest year on record in Asia.
Large parts of the continent faced extreme heat last year. In Jan, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that 2024 was India's warmest year since 1901. According to a recent report by Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment & Water (CEEW), India experienced its longest heatwave since 2010, with many states recording daytime temperatures over 40°C for an entire month.
This resulted in over 44,000 heatstroke cases.
The WMO also noted that several parts of India endured "intense heatwaves," contributing to more than 450 deaths.
Record-breaking heatwaves struck countries across East, Southeast, Central, and West Asia. Myanmar logged a new national temperature high of 48.2°C.
Sea surface temperatures also reached unprecedented levels, with Asia's ocean warming rate nearly double the global average.
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Marine heatwaves impacted nearly 15 million sq km — about 10% of Earth's surface — with the northern Indian Ocean and waters off East Asia among the hardest hit.
Rising ocean temperatures were accompanied by accelerated sea level rise along Asia's Indian and Pacific Ocean coasts, heightening risks for low-lying nations.
The report also found that 23 of 24 monitored glaciers in high-mountain Asia, including the Himalayas and Tian Shan ranges, continued to lose mass in 2024.
This raised the risk of glacial lake outburst floods and threatened long-term water security.
"These changes will have major repercussions for societies, economies, and ecosystems in the region," said WMO secretary-general Celeste Saulo. "Extreme weather is already exacting an unacceptably high toll."
Asia witnessed multiple extreme weather events in 2024. Tropical Cyclone Yagi, the year's most powerful, hit Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, and China, leaving a trail of destruction.
Central Asia saw its worst flooding in 70 years due to record snowmelt and rainfall, displacing over 118,000 people.
In India, over 350 people died in Kerala after more than 500mm of rain fell within 48 hours in late July, triggering deadly landslides. In Nepal, record rainfall in Sept caused floods that killed at least 246 people and resulted in over $94 million in damage.
The United Arab Emirates also recorded one of its heaviest downpours in decades -- 259.5mm in 24 hours, while in stark contrast, drought in China affected nearly 4.8 million people and caused over $400 million in agricultural losses.
Despite the devastation, the report also highlighted progress in disaster preparedness. A case study from Nepal showed that improved early warning systems and anticipatory action helped protect over 130,000 people from climate hazards.
WMO stressed the critical role of national meteorological and hydrological services in saving lives and livelihoods as climate extremes intensify. Their work, the report said, is more essential than ever for adaptation and resilience planning across Asia.
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