2017 was the second warmest year ever recorded — behind only 2016

pulse

January 18, 2018 7:14 PM

Scientists from NOAA and NASA found that the five warmest years on record have all occurred since 2010.

2017 was the second warmest year on record, just ahead of 2015 and behind 2016, according to NASA.
The five hottest years on record have all occurred since 2010.
The warming is directly attributable to human-caused greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.

Last year was the second warmest year on record since 1880, second only to 2016, NASA scientists said on Thursday.

The global average temperature for 2017 was 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the average temperature from 1951 through 1980, according to the group of scientists led by Gavin Schmidt at NASA's

Last year, scientists also observed massive declines in sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic. When sea ice levels decline, that can create a vicious cycle that increases the rate at which more ice melts.

The warming planet is already causing wide-ranging problems for endangered species, like green sea turtles, as well as residents of coastal cities.

The US spent more money on weather-related disasters like wildfires and hurricanes in 2017 than any other year, according to a recent analysis from NOAA. Such extreme events are only expected to get more frequent and severe as the Earth's average temperature continues to rise.

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