2015 the hottest year on record

Global average temperatures in the first half of 2015 were the hottest on record, according to new data released by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Tuesday.

Land surface temperatures hit record levels, surpassing the previous 2007 high by 0.13°C (0.23°F), according to NOAA’s National Center for Environmental Information.

Average global sea surface temperatures for the January to June period of this year outstripped the previous record in 2010 by 0.04°C.

In a statement, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said “the average temperature for the six-month period was 0.85°C above the 20th century average of 15.5°C surpassing the previous record set in 2010 by 0.09°C.”

The average land surface temperature for the first half of the year was +1.40°C.

The WHO statement added: “Most of the world’s land areas were much warmer than average…These regions include nearly all of Eurasia, South America, Africa, and western North America, with pockets of record warmth across these areas. All of Australia was warmer than average.”

Monthly temperature records were surpassed in March, May and June whilst January and February both experienced their “second warmest” temperatures ever.

April saw the fourth warmest monthly temperature ever.

NOAA’s Global Analysis for June 2015 states: “These six warm months combined with the previous six months (four of which were also record warm) to make the period July 2014–June 2015 the warmest 12-month period in the 136-year period of record, surpassing the previous record set just last month (June 2014–May 2015).”

WMO also said that the average Arctic sea ice extent for June 2015 was 7.7 per cent below the 1981-2010 average at 350,000 square miles.

The Antarctic sea ice extent in June was 7.2. per cent larger than the average for the 1981-2010 period 380,000 square miles, making it the largest ever Antarctic sea ice extent for the month of June.