July was the Earth’s hottest month in 137 years
by Agency Staff
2016-08-18 09:26:06.0
MIAMI — Soaring temperatures worldwide made July the Earth’s hottest month in modern times, setting a new high mark for global heat in 137 years of record-keeping, US government scientists said Wednesday.
The report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) came just two days after US space agency Nasa released its climate data, which also found July was a record-breaking month.
"July is typically the hottest month for the globe, and last month didn’t disappoint," said a summary of the monthly report by NOAA.
READ THIS: Humanity’s failure to prevent climate breakdown begins with the media
"July 2016 was 1.57°F above the 20th-century average, breaking last year’s record for the warmest July on record by 0.11°."
Scientists say the heating trend is being driven by fossil-fuel burning, and is made worse by the ocean warming phenomenon known as El Nino, which came to an end in July.
July’s global average of temperatures taken over land and ocean surfaces were the "highest for any month in the NOAA global temperature dataset record, which dates back to 1880".
July also marks the 15th consecutive month of breaking monthly temperature records, "the longest such streak in the 137-year record", NOAA said.
The report found above-average warmth across most of the Earth, with new records observed in parts of Indonesia, southern Asia, and New Zealand.
Places that saw near average or cooler than normal temperatures in July included the northwestern US, eastern Canada, southern South America, southwestern Australia, north central Russia, Kazakhstan and India.
Temperatures were record high even though El Nino has ended, and neither the warming trend of El Nino nor the cooler La Nina prevailed across the tropical Pacific Ocean during July 2016.
La Nina is "slightly favoured to develop during August-October 2016, with about 55%-60% chance of La Nina during the northern hemisphere fall and winter 2016-17", NOAA said.
NOW READ THIS: World is experiencing a ‘dangerous level of climate change’
But even a break in El Nino, which contributed to the surging global temperatures this year, is not likely to sway 2016 from its track towards becoming the hottest year in the contemporary era for global heat.
NOAA said the first seven months of the year were the "warmest such period on record at (1.03°C) above the 20th century average."
AFP
Picture: ISTOCK
MIAMI — Soaring temperatures worldwide made July the Earth’s hottest month in modern times, setting a new high mark for global heat in 137 years of record-keeping, US government scientists said Wednesday.
The report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) came just two days after US space agency Nasa released its climate data, which also found July was a record-breaking month.
"July is typically the hottest month for the globe, and last month didn’t disappoint," said a summary of the monthly report by NOAA.
READ THIS: Humanity’s failure to prevent climate breakdown begins with the media
"July 2016 was 1.57°F above the 20th-century average, breaking last year’s record for the warmest July on record by 0.11°."
Scientists say the heating trend is being driven by fossil-fuel burning, and is made worse by the ocean warming phenomenon known as El Nino, which came to an end in July.
July’s global average of temperatures taken over land and ocean surfaces were the "highest for any month in the NOAA global temperature dataset record, which dates back to 1880".
July also marks the 15th consecutive month of breaking monthly temperature records, "the longest such streak in the 137-year record", NOAA said.
The report found above-average warmth across most of the Earth, with new records observed in parts of Indonesia, southern Asia, and New Zealand.
Places that saw near average or cooler than normal temperatures in July included the northwestern US, eastern Canada, southern South America, southwestern Australia, north central Russia, Kazakhstan and India.
Temperatures were record high even though El Nino has ended, and neither the warming trend of El Nino nor the cooler La Nina prevailed across the tropical Pacific Ocean during July 2016.
La Nina is "slightly favoured to develop during August-October 2016, with about 55%-60% chance of La Nina during the northern hemisphere fall and winter 2016-17", NOAA said.
NOW READ THIS: World is experiencing a ‘dangerous level of climate change’
But even a break in El Nino, which contributed to the surging global temperatures this year, is not likely to sway 2016 from its track towards becoming the hottest year in the contemporary era for global heat.
NOAA said the first seven months of the year were the "warmest such period on record at (1.03°C) above the 20th century average."
AFP
