The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has officially confirmed 2015 is the hottest year on record. The average temperatures for the year was 0.76°C higher than the 1961 – 1990 average temperatures. In what could be a matter of concern for the first time the average temperatures are about 1°C higher than the pre-industrial era. WMO uses 1961-1990 as the internationally agreed base period for measuring long-term climate change. The average global temperature during that period was 14°C
While the overall temperature patterns seem to indicate during the year 2015 the warming has been across the globe, the highest increases have happened over Central Pacific indicating the role El Nino has played over the last 12 – 18 months or so. But in what is something we need to be careful is the abnormal warming indicated over the Siberaian / Eurasian region which could potentially have an impact on the Asian Monsoon over the years if it continues.
In what is another clear indication of the role played by El Nino in making 2015 the hottest year on record we can clearly observe the pattern of El Nino years showing a clear jump in the average temperatures across the globe with 2015 the hottest year on record by a clear margin.
To quote the WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
An exceptionally strong El Niño and global warming caused by greenhouse gases joined forces with dramatic effect on the climate system in 2015. The power of El Niño will fade in the coming months but the impacts of human-induced climate change will be with us for many decades.
In a worrying trend except for 1998 the hottest year has consistently happened since the turn of the new century. While there is bound to be some disagreement on how the temperature data is being calculated the personal observations by most indicate a warming trend and if one were to observe the station data over period it pretty much indicates the same.
Images courtesy WMO