How the hottest decade in recorded history unfolded around the globe

Once all of the data have been tabulated, 2019 will almost certainly join each of the past five years as one of the hottest in recorded history. This 10-year span, from 2010 through 2019, will have been the hottest decade on record, a mark that will by definition stand until the end of 2029 but, trends suggest, not much past that point. It’s easy to assume that the pattern since 2010 has been one of a steady, universal increase in heat across the planet. But, although that is the long-term track, there has been wide variance in temperatures across the planet over the past 10 years.  Video: Earth ‘at tipping point’ says William as he launches world environmental prize (Press Association) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers data on land and ocean temperatures for discrete areas on the planet’s surface. We pulled the year-to-date (that is, January through November) values for every 5-degree square of latitude and longitude for each year from 2010 through 2019 and plotted the results. The consequences can be dire, with thawing permafrost destabilizing structures and threatening to release more greenhouse gases from decomposing vegetation into the atmosphere. Gallery: Photos show how climate change has ravaged the Arctic in the past decade (Business Insider) Across the globe, the most recent year-to-date values (from 2018 or 2019, depending on the location) are generally warmer than the 20th-century average. Most of North America (except Alaska) was cooler during the first 11 months of 2019 than in 2010, as was much of Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.