2014 Was Officially the Hottest Year on Record

1 minute read

Scientists have declared 2014 officially the hottest year on record.

The temperature data was released Monday by the Japan Meteorological Association (JMA), one of the four major global temperature record-keepers to do so. The other three are NASA and the NOAA in the U.S., and the Hadley Center in the U.K.

JMA’s preliminary data indicate that 2014’s global average surface temperature was the warmest since 1891, the start of the data. Specifically, it was 0.27°C (0.5°F) greater than that of the period from 1981 to 2010. With 2014 in the lead, the second hottest year on record is now 1998. Both 2013 and 2010 are tied for third, while 2005 is tied for fifth.

See the Most Insane Natural Disasters of 2014

2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Polar Vortex The U.S. side of Niagara Falls is pictured in Niagara Falls, N.Y. on Jan. 8, 2014. The frigid air and "polar vortex" affected about 240 million people in the United States and southern Canada.Aaron Harris—Reuters
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
California Drought A car sits in dried and cracked earth of what was the bottom of the Almaden Reservoir in San Jose, Calif. on Jan. 28, 2014.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
China Smog Tourists walk on the promenade along the bank of the West Lake in heavy smog in Hangzhou city, east China Zhejiang province on Jan. 31, 2014. Zhejiang Daily/Imaginechina/AP
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Washington Mudslide A massive mudslide killed at least eight people and left dozens missing in Arlington, Wash., March 24, 2014.Ted S. Warren—AP
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Chile Earthquake A rescue worker inspects a car caught under a landslide after an 8.2 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the northern port of Iquique, Chile on April 2, 2014.Cristian Vivero—Reuters
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Arkansas Tornado Aerial view of the central town after a tornado hit Vilonia, Ark., April 28, 2014. Carlo Allegri—Reuters
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Afghanistan Mudslide An aerial view shows the site of a landslide that buried Abi Barik village in Badakhshan province, northeastern Afghanistan, May 5, 2014. Hundreds of people were killed and 700 families displaced. Rahmat Gul—AP
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Southern California Wildfires A house is consumed by wildfire in San Marcos, Calif. on May 14, 2014. About 500 acres have burned in the San Marcos blaze, fueled by record heat, high winds and dry conditions. At least four other fires advanced in nearby communities. Bill Wechter—Getty Images
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Balkan Floods A Serbian army soldier rows a boat as he searches for people to be evacuated in the town of Obrenovac, southwest of Belgrade, Serba on May 16, 2014. The heaviest rains and floods in 120 years have hit Bosnia and Serbia.Marko Djurica—Reuters
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Lightning Hits One World Trade Center Two bolts of lightning hit the antenna on top of One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, New York City on May 23, 2014. Gary Hershorn—Corbis
Yosemite Wildfire Stuart Palley Natural Disasters 2014
Yosemite Wildfire A long exposure image shows the El Portal Fire burning near Yosemite National Park, Calif. on July 27, 2014.Stuart Palley
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Iceland Volcano The Bardarbunga volcano spews lava and smoke in southeast Iceland on Sept. 14, 2014. Bernard Merci—AFP/Getty Images
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Japan Volcano Japan Ground Self-Defense Force personnel and other rescuers arrive to conduct search operations at the ash-covered Ontake Shrine near the summit of Mount Ontake in central Japan on Oct. 4, 2014. Kyodo News/AP
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Hawaii Lava Lava pushes through a fence marking a property boundary above the town of Pahoa on the Big Island of Hawaii, Oct. 28, 2014. U.S. Geological Survey/AP
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Buffalo Snow Storm Storm clouds and snow blow off Lake Erie in Buffalo, N.Y. on Nov. 18, 2014. An autumn blizzard dumped a year's worth of snow in three days on Western New York state, where five people died and residents, some stranded overnight in cars, braced for another pummeling expected later on Wednesday. REUTERS/Lindsay DeDario (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)Lindsay Dedario—Reuters
2014 Natural Disaster Niagara Falls Polar Vortex
Philippines Typhoon Hagupit A Filipino typhoon victim collects water in front of a damaged home where Typhoon Hagupit hit, Samar Island, Philippines, on Dec. 8, 2014. Francis R. Malasig—EPA

All 10 of the hottest years on record have come after 1998, which many scientists attribute to global warming, according to Scientific American.

In 2014, several regions in the world smashed their heat records. California hit record-high temperatures, inducing one of the worst drought’s in history. Australia also hit unprecedented high temperatures in January — and the continent’s so hot this year, too, that people are already frying eggs on sidewalks.

 

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com