According to a report released by the NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, not only was June the warmest month on record, but January to June 2015 has been the warmest recorded year in history (or since 1880, when temperatures began to be meticulously archived).
So, how does this look to scientists? The answer is two words: no bueno.
Here are some stats, according to the study:
"During June, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.58°F (0.88°C) above the 20th century average. This was the highest for June in the 1880-2015 record, surpassing the previous record set last year in 2014 by 0.22°F (0.12°C)."
A possible factor in the temperature rise? This year marks the return of El Niño, an atypical warming of waters in equatorial regions of the Pacific Ocean. Adversely, El Niño's counterpoint, La Niña, denotes cooler temperatures in the same general zones. The last time El Niño resurfaced was from 2009 to 2010.
Despite El Niño's reemergence, it cannot be concluded as the only reason behind this year's rising temperatures. As the report also indicates, the last global record-breaking year for hottest global temperature was in 2010, only a scant year ago.
Global warming? Climate change? Sounds about right.
See the chart below for specific location-based facts and minutiae.
