Image: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery
The Arctic is warming up at a rate higher than the global average temperature. Both 2022 and 2023 were among the warmest years on record for the region. During the night of 22 September 2024, the air temperature in the town of Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland reached a record high of 15.3°C, Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme, reported on Sept. 25.
According to Copernicus, this was the hottest September night in the history of the area, and one of the highest minimum temperatures ever recorded in Greenland.
High temperatures continued throughout the following days. Narsarsuaq recorded an unusual maximum air temperature of 18.9°C on 23 September, and the nearby town of Frederikshaab reached 16.9°C. The area around Frederikshaab is visible in this image acquired by Copernicus Sentinel-2 on 23 September 2024.
The Copernicus Sentinel satellites play a key role in monitoring remote areas around the world, including the Arctic, providing in particular important information on the impacts of climate change on the cryosphere.
Source: Copernicus
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