This blog post summarizes the Copernicus Climate Change Service assessment of January 2026. It highlights a globally warming January, stark regional contrasts, and the mounting human costs of extreme weather.
By unpacking the latest data and expert commentary, we explore how long-term climate change interacts with year-to-year variability. This produces both record heat and brutal cold in different regions.
January 2026 at a Glance
Global mean temperatures for January 2026 reached 12.95°C, ranking it as the fifth-warmest January on record. This figure sits 0.28°C cooler than the January 2025 record.
The month was defined by dramatic regional contrasts. Severe cold waves swept parts of the Northern Hemisphere, especially Europe and North America, while parts of the Southern Hemisphere endured unprecedented heat.
Global patterns behind the numbers
The January temperatures reflect a climate system that can simultaneously produce heat in one region and cold in another. For Europe, the month was record-cold in many places, with the region recording its coldest January since 2010 (average about −2.34°C).
In contrast, heat stretched across Australia and Patagonia, fueling rapidly worsening wildfires in some locales and stressing water and air quality. Late-month heavy rains in Southern Africa brought severe flooding, illustrating how rainfall extremes can accompany heat and drought in other parts of the continent.
Regional hotspots and cold spots
The month’s extremes were not limited to temperature alone. In the United States, protracted preparedness/”>subzero conditions in New York City contributed to at least 18 deaths during one of the longest sustained cold spells since 1961.
Portugal faced a layered onslaught from Storm Kristin and related weather, inflicting infrastructure damage and prompting urgent repair work. One worker restoring electrical networks in Leiria died, raising the storm-linked toll to 16.
In Asia, Japan saw heavy snowfall from January 20 into early February, with a toll of 46 deaths and 549 injuries. Many of those affected were older residents during roof clearance and snow-removal efforts.
Impacts on People, Infrastructure, and Economies
The January 2026 snapshot is more than a temperature flip book; it highlights tangible costs. Extreme cold increased energy demand and posed safety risks in urban centers, while record heat and drought conditions amplified wildfire risk, strained power grids, and threatened water supplies in parts of the Southern Hemisphere.
Flooding in Southern Africa disrupted transportation, housing, and agriculture. The human toll—lives lost, injuries sustained, and communities displaced—remains a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities tied to climate variability in a warming world.
Expert Insight and Policy Implications
Samantha Burgess of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts emphasized a critical takeaway: “the simultaneous occurrence of extreme cold and heat underscores how the climate system can produce divergent regional impacts.”
Her remarks underscore that while human activities are driving long-term warming, the rapid emergence of regional extremes calls for urgent action to strengthen resilience and accelerate adaptation. The January 2026 data set adds to the growing evidence that climate risks are becoming more complex, affecting health, infrastructure, and ecosystems in diverse ways.
Resilience and Adaptation: Turning Data into Action
Policy makers, businesses, and communities must translate these observations into robust adaptation strategies. Building resilient energy systems, upgrading flood defenses, and improving heat-health protection for vulnerable populations are essential steps.
The convergence of record heat, severe cold, drought, and flood events in a single month demonstrates that under climate change, preparedness must be multidimensional, region-specific, and backed by strong scientific monitoring.
Key Takeaways
- January 2026 was globally warm, yet regional extremes created a mosaic of cold and heat across the planet.
- Europe faced its coldest January in over a decade; Australia and Patagonia recorded unprecedented heat and wildfire risk.
- Southern Africa experienced heavy rainfall and flooding.
- Human costs were high, from cold-related deaths in major cities to storm and flood damages and fatalities in affected regions.
- Experts stress that long-term warming interacts with year-to-year variability, reinforcing the need for resilience, adaptation, and proactive risk management.
Here is the source article for this story: Extreme weather underscores rising global climate risks