WASHINGTON (AP) — Earth dialed the heat up last month, smashing warm temperature records for both the month and the first half of the year.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calculated that world’s average temperature in June hit 61.48 degrees Fahrenheit (16.33 Celsius), breaking the old record set last year by 0.22 degrees (.12 degrees Celsius).
NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden said usually temperature records are broken by one or two one-hundredths of a degree, not nearly a quarter of a degree. Records go back 136 years.
The first six months of 2015 were one-sixth of a degree warmer than the old record, set in 2010, averaging 57.83 degrees (14.35 Celsius).
Blunden said “there is almost no way that 2015 isn’t going to be the warmest on record.”
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less