New data from the federal government reveals that September 2014 is now the hottest month recorded since 1880.
That means the average global temperature is trending upward, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said this week.
{mosads}May, June, August and now September have broken global temperature records, NOAA said, putting 2014 well on track to become the warmest year since record keeping began 135 years ago.
And altogether, from January to September, 2014 is tying 1998 and 2010 for the warmest years in recorded history, according to the data.
“Every month to date in 2014 has been among its four warmest on record, with May, June, August, and September all record warm,” NOAA’s report states, excluding only February.
“If 2014 maintains this temperature departure from average for the remainder of the year, it will be the warmest calendar year on record,” it adds.
There are still three months left before the calendar year sets an official record, but the last year — October 2013 through September 2014 — was cataloged as the hottest 12-month period on record, coming in at 1.24 degrees above the 20th century average.
NASA also said earlier this month that September 2014 is the hottest month on record since 1880.