2020 Was Earth’s 2nd-Hottest Year, Just Behind 2016
Jan 14, 2021 at 8:00am
The average land and ocean surface temperature across the globe in 2020 was 1.76 degrees F (0.98 of a degree C) above average — just 0.04 of a degree F (0.02 of a degree C) cooler than the 2016 record.
The Northern Hemisphere saw its hottest year on record at 2.30 degrees F (1.28 degrees C) above the 20th-century average.
The world’s seven-warmest years have all occurred since 2014, with 10 of the warmest years occurring since 2005.
It was also Earth’s 44th consecutive year with global land and ocean temperatures, at least nominally, above the 20th-century average, according to scientists at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
2020 as ranked by other scientific organizations
NASA scientists, who conducted a separate but similar analysis, have determined that 2020 ties 2016 as the warmest year on record, sharing the first-place spot.
Scientists from Copernicus also have 2020 tying with 2016 as the warmest year on record, while the United Kingdom Met Office ranked 2020 as the second-warmest year on record.