Global warming is often seen as an event that will strike in the distant future. However, latest observations made by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) suggest otherwise.
According to the statistics, last May was the hottest May ever recorded. Since the oldest records date 130 years back, it means that May 2014 was the hottest one in at least thirteen decades. The extreme temperatures witnessed last month triggered various climate anomalies all over the globe. However, together with some parts of Asia, the Middle East was not the hottest place on earth last May.
Scientists have discovered that land and ocean temperatures were 0.74°C above the average for the past one century. When examined separately, ocean temperatures were much hotter than those recorded on the surface of the earth. Land temperatures were about 1.13°C higher than 20th century average. This ranks them as the fourth highest in May that were ever recorded. The temperature of the ocean were also the warmest on record. They were measured to be 0.59°C higher than the average rate.
The biggest temperature extremes were seen in Australia, parts of Asia, particularly Siberia. Although May 2014 was not the warmest in Australia’s history, record temperatures were recorded in across the entire continent, including Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, and Northern Territory. Therefore, it was one of the most extensive heats ever witnessed by the country.
In Asia, South Korea took the biggest blow. May temperatures were the highest recorded for this month. In addition, they contributed for the second hottest spring in the country.
Similar was the situation in Europe. However, unlike Asia, almost all countries on the Old Continent were affected by the May heat. The most impressive temperature records were measures in countries like Latvia, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Norway.
The Americas experienced some of the strangest climate anomalies seen in May 2014. From droughts to high or too low precipitations – the two continents appeared to be in the grip of unpredictable weather. The countries that were most badly affected were Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, as well as some U.S. areas.
Africa and the Arctic Sea Ice Extent, too, saw record temperatures and anomalies connected with them. But what about the Middle East. Even though the region is characterized with its extreme heat in general, NOAA did not measure any major or odd temperature variations there. It is not clear why May spared the Middle East. However, it is believed that it may be connected with ocean currents registered in the region.
Still, people living in Middle East countries should not take cooler temperatures for granted. Researchers explain that almost all of the hottest Mays were witnessed after 2009 or in a span of just half a decade.
According to NOAA, global warming intensified in the second half of the last century. This means that the world will become a warmer place with every New Year.
