By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has stated in a report that 2020 ranks as the second-hottest year.
It said that the 2020 average temperatures was 58.77 degrees Fahrenheit — a mere 0.04 degrees cooler than 2016, which holds the first record.
According to the data released on Thursday, the Northern Hemisphere experienced its hottest year on record, surpassing the 20th century average by 2.3 degrees, according to the
2020 experienced catastrophic wildfires, a record-breaking hurricane season and COVID-19.
Oceans were also
“exceptionally warm” last year, with record-high sea surface temperatures logged across parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans.
Above-average temperatures also shrank Arctic sea ice to near record lows, NOAA scientists said. Satellite observations revealed that Arctic sea ice in 2020 covered an average of 3.93 million square miles, tying 2016 for the smallest on record.
The milestones come after historic wildfires in Australia and the U.S. and extreme weather events around the globe have increased the pressure on governments to address global warming and the devastating impacts of climate change.
Though NOAA has designated 2020 as the second-hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880, there are some discrepancies among other agencies that conduct similar measurements.
Meanwhile, NASA analysis according to NBC news found that global average surface temperatures in 2020 tied with 2016, while the World Meteorological Organization still has 2016 in the lead.
