The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has concluded that the first six months of this year were the warmest ever recorded for the combined global land and ocean surface temperatures.
The map below zooms in on North America and shows that areas in the western half of the United States were either one degree C above or below average, while the northeast, Canada, and Alaska were about three to four degrees C above normal for the first six months of this year.
NOAA
In this case, “ever” means back to 1971.
Here is what NOAA said:
“NOAA: June, April to June, and Year-to-Date Global Temperatures are Warmest on Record”
Their records go back to 1880.
The graphic is different. It only compares this year’s data to the period 1971 to 2000.
But the data set is remote sensing data, which only goes back to 1971. The data being compared is apples and oranges.
Here’s some “food for thought” related to the global warming debate and the possible correlation to wildland fires.
http://www.accuweather.com/video/37129475001/debunking-global-warming-in-californias-wildfires.asp?channel=vbbastaj