At Half-Year Mark, 2007 is Second Warmest Year on Record

July 18, 2007

The period from January through June was the second warmest on record globally, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The average global temperature in the first half of 1998 was just 0.01 degrees Celsius higher than the average global temperature for the first half of this year, so the outcome for the year is far from certain. This is the hottest year so far on land, ranking a full 0.1 degrees Celsius above 2002, but that is being moderated by slightly cooler temperatures over the oceans. See the NOAA press release and the global analysis from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center.