2024 was one of the warmest years on record for the Maritimes

Last year was the warmest year on record for planet Earth.

Six climate agencies around the world have confirmed that the planet experienced temperatures near 1.55 C above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) average in 2024, breaking the previous record held by 2023.

The past 10 years, from 2015 to 2024, are the warmest years on record for the planet — and it's a similar story here at home in the Maritimes.

When looking at average daily temperatures, 2024 ranked in the top five warmest on record across most of the region, with top three ranks in Sydney, Moncton, Miramichi and Prince Edward Island.

While the numbers are still preliminary, 2024 appears to be the warmest year on record in Charlottetown.

Overall, it was the fifth consecutive year that temperatures have ranked in the top 10 of warmest in the Maritimes.

Records in the Maritimes date back to the late 1800s, however, we can see that the top 10 warmest years are now almost exclusively from 1999 or later — yet another sign of our changing climate globally and regionally.

The winter season of 2024 was one of the top 10 warmest in the Maritimes and a new record holder for Fredericton and Summerside, P.E.I. It was also a winter which saw the city of Halifax discontinue its ice thickness testing program — citing climate change.

Of course, warmer than normal doesn't always mean no snowfall. The winter of 2024 will likely be most remembered for a historic snowfall in Cape Breton, which dropped up to 150 cm on the island in February.

Spring 2024 was also one of the top 10 warmest on record for parts of the Maritimes, including Saint John, Halifax and Charlottetown.

A heat wave in June made headlines in the region when some areas set all-time provincial monthly records. Saint John experienced its warmest temperature of any month.

Temperatures continued to be warmer than average throughout the summer and fall with drier than normal and drought conditions dominating weather water-cooler talk in the Maritimes.

Despite the warmer than normal temperatures continuing into early December, a well-timed cool down and winter storm helped the region experience a widespread white Christmas.