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U.S. scientists: Earth just had its hottest January in recorded history | TribLIVE.com
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U.S. scientists: Earth just had its hottest January in recorded history

Bret Gibson
2320738_web1_AP20044677058071
AP
Smoke from a fire in January at Batemans Bay, Australia, billows into the air as strong wind and high temperatures were forecast to spread flames. On Thursday, scientists from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the previous month was the hottest January on record since experts began keeping temperature tallies in 1880.

Last month was the hottest January since scientists began keeping temperature records in 1880, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday.

Global land and ocean temperatures exceeded all temperatures recorded in the past 141 years of data at 2.05 degrees above the 20th century average.

It was the 44th consecutive January, and the 421st consecutive month, with temperatures above the 20th century average. The four warmest Januaries recorded have all taken place since 2016, and the 10 warmest have occurred since 2002, according to NOAA.

Record hot temperatures were recorded in parts of Central and South America, Asia, Scandinavia, the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and the central and western Pacific Ocean.

The warm temperatures shrank Arctic sea ice to its eighth lowest January extent, with satellite records showing that Arctic sea ice coverage last month was 5.27 million square miles, or 5.3 percent below average.

Bret Gibson is a TribLive digital producer. A South Hills resident, he started working for the Trib in 1998. He can be reached at bgibson@triblive.com.

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