2015 on course to be Earth's hottest year ever after record-breaking June temperatures

Every June since 2009 has ranked among the top 10 warmest recorded

Both NASA and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) have reported the global warmth of June 2015 matched or exceeded any previous June in historical records. Given the extremely warm months preceding June, 2015 is on track to have its warmest year on record.

In NASA’s analysis of global temperatures, 2015 tied 1998 in having the warmest June ever recorded. Every June since 2009 has ranked among the top 10 warmest in its analysis.

1. 2015, 1998 (+0.76C)

3. 2009 (+0.68C)

4. 2005 and 2013 (+0.67C)

6. 2010 and 2014 (+0.66C)

8. 2006 and 2012 (+0.64C)

10. 2011 (+0.60C)

In Japan’s (JMA) analysis, June 2015 was all alone as the warmest, besting 2014, the previous recordholder. Four of the last six Junes have ranked among the top five warmest in its analysis.

1. 2015 (+0.41C)

2. 2014 (+0.33C)

3. 2010 and 1998 (+0.26C)

5. 2012 (+0.22C)

NOAA will announce where June 2015 ranks in its analysis next week. Between January and May, every month in 2015 ranked among the top four warmest on record in its analysis.

2015 is well on its way to being the warmest on record, thanks to a strengthening El Nino event, which is helping to transfer large amounts of heat from the tropical Pacific all around the world, and especially in the Northern Hemisphere.

©Washington Post