The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently reported that the month of June 2010 was the warmest ever before recorded. In the same report, the NOAA stated that the average temperature worldwide between January and June was also the warmest ever recorded. Now the NOAA is confident that the first decade of the 2000s is the warmest ever on record.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released their yearly State of the Climate report. Within this report the scientists involved again discussed the first ten years in the 2000s being the warmest and the months continuing to set temperature records. The scientists also noted that all of the major global warming indicators were exhibiting further proof of global warming.
The report, which is the twentieth annual, involved a panel of over 300 scientists from around the world. The scientists determined that “a comprehensive review of key climate indicators confirms that the world is warming and the past decade was the warmest.” The report does not pinpoint specific causes of global warming, which may help persuade skeptics to pay attention to the details.
The aforementioned global warming indicators include ten specific signs of temperature alterations around the globe. The indicators include seven which have increased, and three that have decreased. However, those which have decreased do not indicate a positive change in terms of slowing global warming.
Those which have increased include: average temperature, ocean heat content, sea level, sea surface temperature, air temperatures over both ocean and land and the ratio of water vapor to air. The indicators which have decreased include glaciers, sea ice and snow cover.
The report indicates the importance of the changes which have occurred over the last few decades. Many of the changes have alarmed scientists worldwide. The report states; “At first glance, the amount of [temperature] increase each decade- about a fifth of a degree Fahrenheit- may seem small. But the temperature increase of about 1 degree Fahrenheit experienced during the past 50 years has already altered the planet. Glaciers and sea ice are melting, heavy rainfall is intensifying and heat waves are becoming more common and more intense.”
