Scientists say this year is almost certain to take over the top spot as the hottest year. The global average temperature could potentially breach a key threshold, reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial average. Countries have agreed to try to limit warming to below that level in order to avoid much more intense storms, rainfall and heat waves.
The record-setting build up of heat has surprised scientists, setting off a climatic whodunit.
Lauren Sommer
2023 was extremely hot. Then came 2024 (NPR)
After reading that, I stumbled upon this Ask NASA Climate article from a decade ago:
Last week NASA and NOAA announced that 2014 topped the list of hottest years ever recorded. Yikes!
What’s worse, the ten warmest years ever recorded have all occurred since 1998. Yikes again!
I fear this news story might turn into a blip that gets tons of attention and is then forgotten after a few days. But it’s a topic that deserves sustained attention.
Laura Faye Tenenbaum
The 10 warmest years: Not exactly forever ago (Ask NASA Climate)
The only year from that article’s list of the hottest years on record that is still in the top ten is 2014, and 2024 is going to knock it down to number 11. The 10 warmest years on the record are the most recent 10 years.
Scott Boehmer 