WASHINGTON (Circa) -- Earth has had 400 consecutive months of above-average temperatures, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revealed on Thursday.
Climate change and the burning of fossil fuels are said to be the driver behind the increasing temperatures. April was also the 3rd warmest April ever recorded, according to NOAA's analysis. Europe had its warmest April on record while Australia had its second warmest.
Today, NOAA noted that April was the 400th consecutive consecutive month the Earth was warmer than the 20th century average. This map show what percentage of the last 400 months were above normal (1951-1980) using the NASA GISS data set. The global average is 75%! pic.twitter.com/rxo6ovTwGy
— Brian Brettschneider (@Climatologist49) May 17, 2018
NOAA climatologist Ahira Sanchez tells CNN that global temperatures will continue to increase in future as long as climate change continues to be a factor.
"If you were to remove the human factor, you would still see a variability, but it would be up and down," Sanchez said.
Thursday's announcement surfaces after it was revealed that 2016 was the warmest year on record.
April was the 400th straight month on Earth with warmer-than-average global temperatures, NOAA found. https://t.co/5k6r2OsnFB
— Andrew Freedman (@afreedma) May 17, 2018
North America was the only part of the world that didn't experience record highs. The average temperature in the U.S. was 2.2 degrees below average. NOAA says this past April was the 13th coldest April ever and the coldest since 1997.
USA Today reports earth is currently undergoing its 5th warmest start to the year for year-to-date. Scientists believe carbon dioxide is the gas that is most responsible for global warming. The gas reached its highest level in recorded history at 410 parts per million.
Separate data from NASA revealed that April was the third warmest month they've ever recorded. NASA has been recording date on temperatures for 138 years.
