The first part of 2019 has ranked among the hottest years on average since weather data was recorded in 1880, according to NOAA.
Infographics: 2019 is already among the hottest years on record
In 2019, the average surface temperature for the land and ocean was 0.88 degrees Celsius above the 20th century average for the month of January. April was about 0.93 degrees Celsius above the 20th century average for the month, making it the second hottest average April on record. Both February and March made it into the top five hottest years on average for each month.
While data for May has not been processed, since 1880 the past 20 years have brought in the 20 hottest average temperatures for May, a trend expected to continue. Many meteorologists and climate scientists attribute the overall trend of warmer months and years to an increase in greenhouse gases, propelling climate change forward.
