According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report on the state of the climate in Africa in 2024, extreme weather events and climate change are impacting all areas of socio-economic development in Africa, exacerbating hunger, insecurity, and population displacement.
The year 2024 is one of the hottest years ever recorded in human history. The entire last decade has been the hottest on record. Around Africa's coasts, sea surface temperatures reached record values. Warming has been particularly rapid in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
In addition to these alarming findings from the latest WMO report, the same document states that the area affected by marine heatwaves in 2024 was the largest since records began in 1993.
The report highlights the challenges related to agriculture and the environment; food, water, and energy security; as well as health and education.
It also emphasizes opportunities and new tools to address these challenges.
“The report on the state of the climate in Africa reveals the scale and intensification of the impacts of climate change on the continent,” says WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, adding that “it also illustrates the increase in extreme weather events, exposing some countries to unprecedented floods caused by excessive rainfall, while others are struggling with persistent drought and water shortages.”
Artificial intelligence, mobile communication tools, and advanced weather forecasting models are improving the accuracy and reach of weather services in Africa. However, according to the report, further investment in infrastructure, strengthening data-sharing structures, and providing more inclusive services are necessary to continue the development of digital transformation.
Awareness Needed
The report stresses the need to raise awareness of the urgency of the situation, improve early warning systems, and strengthen climate resilience and adaptation. It calls on governments, development partners, and the private sector to accelerate climate-smart investments.
The WMO report on the state of the climate in Africa in 2024 is part of a series of WMO reports on the climate aimed at informing decision-making on national and regional climate strategies.
Record Temperatures
The average temperature at Africa’s surface in 2024 exceeded the long-term average for the 1991-2020 period by about 0.86°C. North Africa recorded the highest anomaly (1.28°C above the 1991-2020 average). It is also the African sub-region warming the fastest.
Extreme heat struck many areas of the continent in 2024, disrupting agriculture, labor productivity, and education.
In 2024, sea surface temperatures exceeded the values of 2023, which marked the previous record. Particularly significant increases in sea surface temperature were observed in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2024, almost the entire oceanic area around the African continent was affected by strong, severe, or extreme marine heatwaves, especially in the tropical Atlantic. From January to April, nearly 30 million km² were impacted, the largest area since records began in 1993, although the area decreased later in the year.
High ocean temperatures disrupt marine ecosystems and can intensify tropical storms. Combined with rising sea levels, they pose additional threats to coastal populations.
El Niño Episode
An El Niño episode and a positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole, which lasted from 2023 to early 2024, played a major role in precipitation patterns.
Southern Africa experienced severe drought conditions, particularly in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, which faced their worst drought in at least two decades. Overall, cereal yields in Southern Africa were 16% below the five-year average. In Zambia and Zimbabwe, they were 43% and 50% below this average, respectively. Low water levels and low hydroelectric power production from Lake Kariba, Africa’s largest artificial reservoir, led to prolonged power outages and economic disruptions.
In East Africa, heavy rains of rare intensity and duration fell from March to May, causing severe flooding in Kenya, Tanzania, and Burundi. Hundreds of deaths were recorded, and more than 700,000 people were affected. Precipitation from October to December was below average, creating a worrying food security situation.
In West and Central Africa, devastating floods affected more than four million people, causing hundreds of fatalities and displacing hundreds of thousands. Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic were among the hardest-hit countries.
North Africa recorded its third consecutive year of below-average cereal harvests due to low precipitation and extremely high temperatures. Agricultural production in Morocco was 42% below the five-year average after six consecutive years of drought.
