The year 2024 was the warmest year on record in Asia, with widespread and prolonged heatwaves, the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report states. In 2024, heatwaves gripped a record area of the ocean, the report said.
The global mean temperature in 2024 was the highest on record for the period 1850-2024, according to all six datasets that the WMO uses to monitor global mean temperature, beating the previous record of 1.45 °C set in 2023. Each of the years from 2015 to 2024 was one of the 10 warmest years on record, WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo said.
Sea surface temperatures were the highest on record, with Asia’s sea surface decadal warming rate nearly double the global average. Sea level rise on the Pacific and Indian Ocean sides of Asia exceeded the global average, heightening risks for low-lying coastal areas, according to the report.
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Out of the 24 glaciers in the central Himalayas and Tian Shan, 23 suffered mass loss, leading to an increase in hazards, including glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF), and landslides, and long-term risks to water security. Whereas extreme rainfall wreaked havoc and heavy casualties in many countries in the region, and tropical cyclones left a trail of destruction, drought caused heavy economic and agricultural losses.
“The State of the Climate in Asia report highlights the changes in key climate indicators such as surface temperature, glacier mass and sea level, which will have major repercussions for societies, economies and ecosystems in the region. Extreme weather is already exacting an unacceptably high toll. The work of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and their partners is more important than ever to save lives and livelihoods,” Ms. Saulo said.
In 2024, most of the ocean areas of Asia were affected by marine heatwaves of strong, severe, or extreme intensity — the largest extent since records began in 1993. The northern Indian Ocean and in the ocean area adjacent to Japan, the Yellow Sea, and East China Sea were especially affected.
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The UAE recorded 259.5 mm of rainfall in 24 hours — one of the most extreme precipitation events since records began in 1949.
Major landslides occurred in Wayanad district of northern Kerala on July 30, following extreme rainfall exceeding 500 mm in 48 hours, resulting in over 350 deaths.
In late September 2024, record-breaking rainfall in Nepal triggered severe floods, killing at least 246 people; the damages exceeded Nepali rupees 12.85 billion.
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Due to lightning, about 1,300 lives were lost across various parts of India. One particularly deadly lightning event killed 72 people on July 10 in northern India, affecting Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand.
On August 16, 2024 a significant GLOF originated in the Koshi region, the easternmost province of Nepal, triggering flash floods and mudslides that caused widespread displacement and damage. By August 19, reports indicated that more than 130 individuals had been displaced. The disaster resulted in the destruction of houses, schools, and health facilities in the Thame village in Nepal.
Drought in China affected nearly 4.8 million people, damaged 335,200 hectares of crops, and led to estimated direct losses of Chinese yuan (CNY) 2.89 billion.
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“The warming trend between 1991-2024 was almost double that during the 1961-1990 period. During 2024, three out of four cyclones formed over the Bay of Bengal (Remal, Dana, Fengal), and one formed over the Arabian Sea (Asna). Severe cyclonic storm Remal made landfall near the Mongla and Khepupara coasts in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, on May 26, 2024. In Bangladesh, the highest recorded wind speed was 111 km/h on May 27, and the storm surge, accompanied by extremely heavy rainfall, caused flooding of up to 2.5 m in the coastal districts,” Ms. Saulo said.
Cyclonic storm Asna developed in August over the Arabian Sea, which is a rare occurrence as it has only happened three times since 1891. The storm’s impact on Oman included rough wave heights ranging from three to five metres. Cyclonic storm Fengal tracked close to Sri Lanka before making landfall in India on November 30.
In Sri Lanka, heavy rainfall, strong winds, thunderstorms and lightning triggered floods, landslides, and severe weather-related incidents. As of December 3, 2024 the Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre reported 18 fatalities, and approximately 5,000 people were displaced. More than 4,50,000 people were affected across the impacted areas, the WMO report said.
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Prolonged heatwaves affected East Asia from April to November 2024. Monthly average temperature records were broken one after another in Japan (April, July, and October), in the Republic of Korea (April, June, August, and September), and in China (April, May, August, September, and November).
The national mean summer temperature in Japan equalled the hottest on record, matching the 2023 record at 1.76 °C above the 1991-2020 average. Several parts of India experienced intense heatwaves in 2024, leading to more than 450 deaths across the country.
A two-week heatwave was recorded in the northwestern part of the Russian Federation, with temperature anomalies from 7 °C to 10 °C above normal.
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Extreme high temperatures affected the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia in mid-June with temperatures reaching 49 °C.
Thailand experienced an intense heatwave, particularly in the northeastern region from April 27 until May 2, 2024 when the maximum temperature exceeded 5 °C above the long-term average. In central Myanmar, a temperature of 48.2 °C was recorded at Chank on April 28, which set a new national maximum temperature record.