U.K. scientists say 2005 hottest
ever
LONDON, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- British scientists have calculated 2005
was the warmest year on record in the Northern Hemisphere, at least
since records began being kept in the 1860s.
The United Kingdom's Met Office and the University of East Anglia
say the data indicate more evidence of human-induced global
warming, the BBC reported Friday.
The average temperature during 2005 in the Northern Hemisphere was
0.65 C above the average for 1961-90 -- the baseline against which
scientists compare temperatures. The Northern Hemisphere Atlantic
Ocean has also been the hottest on record.
"The data also show that the sea surface temperature in the
northern hemisphere Atlantic is the highest since 1880," said David
Viner, from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East
Anglia.
Viner says no measurements of average temperature can be completely
accurate and the team's calculations are subject to an error of
about 0.1 C, however, the long-term trend is clearly upwards.
"It's simple physics; more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,
emissions growing on a global basis and consequently increasing
temperatures," Viner told the BBC.
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Will year 2006 break the record?
