Scientists Say 2015 Will Likely Be "Warmest On Record"

Global Warming isn't so much an opinion when it comes to the World Meteorological Organization. They've said this week that the global average surface temperature of our Earth this year is "likely to be the warmest on record." They're suggesting that this is because of a combination of human-induced global warming as well as a strong El Niño, and say that we'll be reaching a "significant milestone" of 1° Celsius above the pre-industrial era. This is not great news.

The years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 have been the warmest five-year period on record. The full 5-year analysis provided by the WMO suggests that extreme weather events are in order. They're going to happen, more than likely.

Estimates from this year, January to October, suggest that the global average surface temperature was "around 0.73 °C above the 1961-1990 average of 14.0°C." The same estimates suggest that temperatures this year are "approximately 1°C above the pre-industrial 1880-1899 period."

Above you'll see average temperature anomalies for January to October of this year, 2015. This information comes from the HadCRUT.4.4.0.0 data set, and comes from the Met Office Hadley Centre. Large crosses and dashes show temperatures outside the range of the 2nd to 98th percentiles, while crosses show temperatures that exceed the 90th percentile (that's hot), and dashes show temperatures below the 10th percentile (super cold.)

WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud suggests that "Greenhouse gas emissions, which are causing climate change, can be controlled. We have the knowledge and the tools to act. We have a choice. Future generations will not." Now is the time to act.