Extreme weather and climatic conditions including Arctic heatwaves have continued into 2017 after global temperatures set a record last year and the world witnessed exceptionally low sea ice and unabated ocean heat, according to WMO.
Global temperatures have hit an astounding 1.1 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial period,
Global sea level touched record highs and planet's sea ice coverage dropped more than 4 million square kms below average in Nov.
The increase in global temperature is in line with other changes in the climate system.
With CO
2 levels in the atmosphere breaking fresh records, influence of human activities on the climate system has become more obvious.
Each year since 2001, there has been a 0.4 degree Celsius above the long term average for 1961-1990 base period used as a reference for climate change monitoring by the UN agency.
The 2016 heating was further boosted by the powerful El Nino weather system, during which global sea-level also rose very strongly.
Similarly, carbon dioxide (CO
2) levels in the atmosphere reached the symbolic benchmark of 400 parts per millions in 2015 - the latest year for which WMO global figures are available.
This will not fall below that level for many generations to come because of the long-lasting nature of CO
2.
The extreme weather patterns are continuing in 2017 adding that at least three times so far this winter, the Arctic saw what can be called the Polar equivalent of a heatwave, with powerful Atlantic storms driving an influx of warm, moist air.
At the height of the Arctic winter and the sea ice refreezing period, there were days which were actually close to melting point.
In the US alone, 11,743 warm temperature records were broken or tied in February, according to the US NOAA, said the UN agency.
NOAA/National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration: Know More- Headquarters: Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
- Founder: Richard Nixon
- Founded: 3 October 1970
- Parent organization: United States Department of Commerce
