A map depicting the extremely warm year of 2016 | Image: NOAA | Cover Photo: futureatlas.com

What if we told you that since global temperature record keeping began in 1873, the 8 warmest years on record occurred in the last two decades? What if we also told you that 6 out of the last 8 years (2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017) were the hottest ever recorded? Data like that would suggest that the earth is… warming– wouldn’t it?

Related: Dry Southwest still waiting on winter in January 2018

But far be it from me to start down the perilous road of attempting to change climate deniers’ minds. I’ll just let NOAA and 97% of climate scientists do that for me.

“The average global land and ocean surface temperature for January–November 2017 was 0.84°C (1.51°F) above the 20th century average of 14.0°C (57.2°F)—the third highest global land and ocean temperature for January–November in the 1880–2017 record, behind the record year 2016 and 2015 (second highest).” – NOAA

In their latest global climate report, NOAA and their partner scientists found that 2017 was sweltering in the USA and abroad. Temperature records fell like dominoes for cities, states, and countries. All in all, 2017 will go down as a top 3 hottest years on record for Planet Earth.

Is it getting warm in here?

  • in 2017 Alaska records its hottest year on record with an annual temp that exceeded their average by 19.4°F
  • 5 states reported hottest years on record in 2017 (NC, SC, AZ, GA, NM)
  • Unclear whether 2017 will go down as the 2nd or 3rd warmest year on record. NOAA release coming next week…. 

That hot and bothered finish is even more disheartening considering we’re experiencing a La Niña winter that usually acts as a global cooling agent. Instead the temperature across the USA was a whopping 2.6°F above the 20th century average in 2017 reports the Scientific American.

Find the entire Scientific American article here: 2017 Was the Third Hottest Year on Record for the U.S.