Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Monday 24 april 2017

Report: Can’t blame El Nino as global temps spike in March

goosed record. full degree Celsius (1.8
France, Germany and Fahrenheit)
other parts of Europe warmer than normal,
saw record heat while making it the second
most of the Arctic — hottest start of a year.
except Alaska and Records go back to
Canada — 1880.
was unusually warm, NASA, which calcu-
NOAA climate scien- lates global tempera-
tist Ahira Sanchez-Lu- tures a bit differently,
go said Wednesday. found similar results for
It’s the first time the March.
Earth was more than Since 1980, tempera-
1 degree Celsius (1.8 tures during El Ninos
degrees Fahrenheit) and La Ninas —
warmer than normal the cooling of the Pa-
without an El Nino. cific — are getting
Sanchez-Lugo said it warmer. Temperatures
looks like the planet during neutral periods
is getting to the point like now are also get-
where it’ll likely be that ting warmer, Sanchez-
much warmer than Lugo said.
the 20th century aver- “If El Nino were the
age. main driver of record
El Nino is a natural warmth, there is no
warming of the Pacif- way the last three
ic that alters weather months (of this year)
worldwide. would have been as

In this March 28, 2017 file photo, a bee flies over daisies in a park in Frankfurt, Germany, As Both 2015 and 2016 warm as they have
weather forecasts predict sunny weather for most parts of Germany. set repeated warmth been,” said University
Associated Press records during an El of California, Berkeley
SETH BORENSTEIN In what scientists call a peratures in March Nino. Earth is in a neu- climate scientist Zeke
AP Science Writer clear sign of a warm- were the most above tral condition in the Hausfather.
Computer models are
WASHINGTON (AP) — ing world, Earth’s tem- normal on record with- Pacific. forecasting another
out an El Nino spiking “It’s quite impres-
sive; it’s just climate El Nino is likely to be-
temperatures. change” gin sometime later this
The National Oceanic not natural variability year, which would be
and Atmospheric Ad- like El Nino, Sanchez- in addition to the re-
ministration calculat- Lugo said. cord heat.
ed that the average “We typically expect “These records are go-
global temperature in the next year after ing to continue for the
March was 56.8 de- El Nino to be slightly rest of our lives,”
grees Fahrenheit cooler.” said climate scientist
(13.8 Celsius), only be- The first three months Andrew Dessler of Tex-
hind last year’s El Nino- of 2017 are almost a as A&M University.q