2016 is already proving to be the hottest year to date, with only January, February and March behind us. Each of these three months were hotter than they were in 2015. The El Nino that occurred this year is also responsible for the increase in temperatures as well as the abnormal weather patterns that were witnessed. The El Nino was reinforced by climate change, but is now, fortunately, coming to an end. Scientists compared this El Nino to the most recent, record-breaking El Nino that occurred from 1997 to 1998. This was used to differentiate the temperature increase from climate change or from the El Nino. Their findings revealed that this El Nino was an additional 0.8 degrees higher than the one recorded in the late 90’s.

The combination of both the El Nino and global warming does not show a bright outlook for escaping climate change and rapid increases in heat. Scientists fear that this new heat will melt the Arctic sea ice in the upcoming summer. The 1.5 degree threshold that was set at Paris this past December is already being threatened. One research and scientist stated that, “I don’t see at all how we’re going to not go through the 1.5 degree-number in the next decade or so.” 2016 is already looking like an ominous year for climate change, and it is only a third of the way finished.

References:

Schlossberg, Tatiana. “2016 Already Shows Record Global Temperatures.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 19 Apr. 2016.