October temperatures push 2014 closer to hottest year on record

Average global temperatures this October were the highest on record for the month, keeping the planet on track for its warmest year on record, according to federal scientists.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Thursday that the planet had its warmest January through October period on record.

{mosads}Jake Crouch, climatologist for NOAA’s climate data center, told reporters on a conference call Thursday that record-keeping goes back nearly 135 years ago.

The data also backs up separate findings from NASA that 2014 is close to becoming the warmest on record.

Chief of climate monitoring at NOAA Deke Arndt said November and December just have to match their 10th warmest marks for 2014 to end up being the hottest year recorded.

“With two months left to go in the analysis it’s becoming pretty clear that 2014 will end up the warmest year on record and the remaining question is by how much,” Arndt said.

The findings will likely embolden the administration’s push to slash greenhouse gas emissions and pressure other nations to do the same leading up to climate talks in Paris next year.