Warmest winter on record for northern hemisphere

[Grant]

Winter in the northern hemisphere this year has been the warmest since records began more than 125 years ago, a US government agency says.


The combined land and ocean surface temperature from December to February was 0.72C (1.3F) above average. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said El Nino, a seasonal warming of parts of the Pacific Ocean, had also contributed to the warmth.

But it did not see the high temperature as evidence of man-made global warming. The NOAA said that temperatures are continuing to rise by a fifth of a degree every decade. The 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 1995. Weather experts predict that 2007 could be the hottest year on record.
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Winter warmth breaks all records