The year 2023 was one of the warmest on record for the Maritimes

The year 2023 was by the far the warmest on record for the planet. 

The World Meteorological Organization uses six leading international data sets from around the world to track global temperatures. That data reveals that in 2023 a new temperature average of 1.45 degrees above the pre-industrial era of 1850-1900.

The past nine years have also been the warmest on record for the planet.

Here in the Maritimes, 2023 will not be soon forgotten as a year of extreme weather ranging from wildfires to floods. 

In terms of average temperatures, 2023 was the fourth consecutive year that temperatures in the region have ranked in the top five to 10 warmest. 

With records going back to the late 1800s here in the Maritimes, the top 10 warmest years are now almost exclusively from 1998 or later — yet another sign of our changing climate globally and regionally.

The year 2023 got off to a very warm start with the warmest January on record in the Maritimes. 

The spring continued warmer than average and was then followed by one of the cloudiest, wettest and muggiest summers on record. A persistent, locked-in damp southerly flow not only kept the sun hidden, it led to mild and humid overnights, which added to the overall summer temperature averages.

The locked-in summer pattern also led to incredible warmth across the North Atlantic, and previous records were smashed throughout the summer months.

The fall was also warmer than average, with the exception of November. November was particularly notable in Halifax, where it was the first month to finish more than 1 degree colder than normal in 53 months.

Of course, the planet is a large place and interestingly, for the globe as a whole, the month of November saw two days average more than 2 C warmer than the pre-industrial average, which is the first time this has ever occurred.

Scientists agree that greenhouse gasses and human activity are the main driver of the planet’s long-term warming trend. However, a developing El Niño in the Pacific Ocean also had an influence in the second half of 2023.

That said, the largest impacts on global temperatures from an El Niño event typically occur after it peaks, which means that 2024 could be even warmer.