2016 Sets Another Record for Warmth

It’s time for the annual story that the previous year set a record for warmth, and 2016 did just that.

USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey said, “Record-setting warmth globally three consecutive years and five times since the beginning of the 21^st Century.”

2016 averaged 58.69 degrees Farenheit and the 21^st Century is averaging more than 57 degrees.

Rippey said part of it was caused by weather patterns.

“You can put a little bit of blame on El Nino because of the warming of the ocean waters across the equatorial Pacific, a lot of that warmth ended up being transferred from the oceans eventually into the atmosphere.”

Temperatures did drop significantly in the final third of 2016 after El Nino dissipated.