2020 COULD BE THE HOTTEST YEAR EVER

This year could turn out to be the hottest year ever. That’s according to the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

Currently, it’s set to be the second-hottest year ever, with 2016 topping the ranks, but the difference between the two is very small, so 2020 could still take the top spot.

This year alone has seen a massive increase in wildfires, as well as flooding, across the globe. It was widely believed that the pandemic will have a positive effect on CO2 emissions but, unfortunately, the effect was too small as CO2 emissions stay in the atmosphere for centuries, reports East Coast Radio.

In its provisional 2020 State of the Global Climate report, the WMO said that a record 30 named storms formed in the Atlantic Ocean. This exhausted the alphabet and forced a switch to the Greek alphabet. It is only the second time that this has happened.

Temperatures across the globe have reached new record highs. Cuba and Taipei both reached 39.7 degrees Celcius in April and July respectively; while Jerusalem reached 42.7 degrees Celcius in September.

Hamamatsu equalled Japan’s national record on August 17 with 41.1 degrees Celcius, reports East Coast Radio.

Image credit: Israel21c