Global surface temperatures in the 1998 meteorological year (December 1, 1997 to December 1, 1998) set a new record for the period since measurements have been recorded, according to researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. The global temperature exceeds that of the previous record calendar year, 1995, by such a wide margin that the 1998 calendar year also is certain to set a new record.
The NASA scientists-James Hansen, Reto Ruedy, Jay Glascoe and Makiko Sato-use data that is collected at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climate Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina, and made available to all researchers. In their analysis, the NASA scientists use data from rural stations to correct for urban influences on reported temperatures. They also use satellite measurements of ocean temperatures.
Corroborating the NASA group's findings, The World Meteorological Organization reported on December 17 that the earth's global temperature in 1998 will be the highest since 1860. Global temperatures are now almost 0.7 degrees C (1.25 degrees F) above those at the end of the 19th century.
According to WMO, 1998 will be the 20th consecutive year with an above normal global surface temperature. The ten warmest years have all occurred since 1983, with seven of them since 1990.
Global warming is believed by many researchers, including the NASA scientists, to be at least partly a consequence of increasing greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. The unusual 1998 warmth was associated partly with a strong El Nino that warmed the air over the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean in the first half of the year and in turn affected weather around the world. But El Nino, by itself, cannot account for either the observed long-term global warming trend or the extreme warmth of 1998.
The rapid global warming since the mid-1970s exceeds that of any previous period of equal length during the time of instrument-measured data. This warming occurs during the period when greenhouse gases increased most rapidly, and thus, according to Dr. Hansen, "the rapid warming of the past 25 years undercuts the argument of 'greenhouse skeptics' who have maintained that most of the global warming occurred early this century while greenhouse gases were increasing more slowly-in fact, the fastest warming is occurring just when it is expected."
More information is available at the NASA GISS website,
http://www.giss.nasa.gov
For more information on climate change, visit EPA's website at
www.epa.gov/globalwarming
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