Environment

2009 will be one of the warmest years on record

by Amy Judd | December 31, 2008 at 03:46 pm

332 views | 6 Recommendations | 4 comments

British climate scientists have predicted that 2009 will be one of the top five warmest on record, as the average temperature is expected to be more than 0.4 degrees celsius above the average. This is despite the cooling phenomenon known as La Nina, which has cooled large areas of the Pacific Ocean already.

The expected temperature would make it the warmest year on record since 2005, meaning that temperatures could just keep going up every year.

Warm weather that year was strongly influenced by El Nino, an abnormal warming of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific.

Theories abound as to what triggers the mechanisms that cause an El Nino or La Nina event but scientists agree that they are playing an increasingly important role in global weather patterns

The strength of the prevailing trade winds that blow from east to west across the equatorial Pacific is thought to be an important factor.

"Further warming to record levels is likely once a moderate El Nino develops," said Professor Chris Folland at the Met Office Hadley Center. "Phenomena such as El Nino and La Nina have a significant influence on global surface temperature."

The warmest year is currently 1998, when the average temperature was 14.52 degrees celsius.

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at 17:03 on December 31st, 2008

One year does not matter in climate change.

The long term trend is what counts.

gerrypopplestone

at 19:54 on December 31st, 2008

I almost want to say - Don't remind us, Amy - while our politicians argue among themselves!

gerrypopplestone

at 19:55 on December 31st, 2008

One year: it gets to two, and twop goes to three. A bit like arranging chairs on the Titanic!

AsherX

at 02:51 on January 7th, 2009

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