WASHINGTON — The world last year wasn’t quite as warm as it has been for most of the past decade, government scientists said Thursday, but it continues a trend of rising temperatures.
The average global temperature was 57.9 degrees Fahrenheit, making 2011 the 11th hottest on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. That’s 0.9 degrees warmer than the 20th century average, officials said. In fact, it was hotter than every year last century except 1998.
One reason 2011 was milder than recent years was the La Niña cooling of the central Pacific Ocean. Still, this was the warmest La Niña year on record. This marks the 35th straight year that global temperatures were warmer than normal. NOAA’s records for world average temperatures date back to 1880.
Denver Post wire services
