Another heat record means 2015 likely to be hottest year ever

The globe shattered yet another heat record in November, continuing a warming trend that is all but certain to make 2015 the hottest year in modern history, scientists said. Last month was the warmest November in more than 100 years and marked seven months in a row of record-breaking temperatures, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its monthly climate report.

Most of the globe is covered in record warmth. … At this point we’re virtually certain that 2015 will be the warmest year on record.

Jake Crouch, climate scientist at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information

Scientists say the trend is likely a result of human-driven climate change, whereby the burning of fossil fuels spews greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and traps heat. Crouch also said the El Niño weather phenomenon, which is particularly strong this season, may be playing a role in the unusually high temperatures. The NOAA report said record warmth was notable across most of equatorial and northeastern South America and parts of southeastern Asia. Not one region of the world experienced record cold in November.

We do expect the trend of upward temperatures to continue in the short and medium term.

Crouch