Taken in isolation these figures say nothing about climate change”~ Barry Gromett, spokesman for Britain’s national weather and climate centre, the Met Office

There are some when asked who say they don’t believe in or know much about climate change but many can say, “Yeah, this weather sure has been strange.” Strange indeed, more accurately it has been HOT.

The first 6 months of 2010 saw the warmest temperatures all over the world, ever. Last June was the hottest June ever recorded and the fourth consecutive month where the highest temperature was topped.

How far back do these records go you ask? Reliable records go back to 1880 according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They measure the combined global land and ocean surface temperatures.

Sounds like a good case for climate change doesn’t it? Well, it’s difficult for scientists to definitively draw those conclusions right now, though we can assume that if you like.

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time in a particular place. The 3 main factors that go into weather are humidity, air pressure, and temperature.

Climate on the other hand is the average weather in a given place and is defined by temperature, wind velocity and precipitation over months or years.

A single year with notable temperatures isn’t enough to establish a link between it and climate change.

“But if taken in the context of 2000-2010 being the warmest decade on record, and this set be another near record or record warm year, then this is further evidence that the climate is warming,” Barry Gromett told AFP.

Src: AFP

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