After the recent heat waves that we have been experiencing in most parts of Africa, it came as no surprise to myself when I learnt from a international news channel that 2015 was in great standing to be the hottest year  planet earth has experienced since as early as 1880.

According to global temperature data compiled by various climate agencies, including NASA, NOAA and the Japan Meteorological Agency, the months of July to September have received record breaking warmest temperatures recorded dating back to more than a century ago. NOAA measured July at 1.46^oF above the 20^th century July average, hence making this July the hottest since 1880. September 2015 also experienced the warmest of all recorded Septembers by an unprecedented margin of 0.19 degrees according to the same source.

Seven out of nine months this year have ranked as top warmest excluding January and April which ranked second to third. The chances of this happening coincidentally are close to none and can only be attributed to climate change caused by human actions. Carbon dioxide levels across the world have risen from pre-industrial levels of about 280 parts per million to nearly 400ppm today. Other greenhouse gases that trap heat are the agents of a continuing ozone layer destruction.

The Bleak future

Rise of CO₂ levels will raise the planets temperatures by another 3^oF to 9^oF by the end of this century depending on when and if greenhouse gas emissions are curbed, scientists have calculated.

The strongest El Nino (this leads to warmer surface temperatures and warmer ocean waters) is expected to last throughout the rest of the year.But will it just disappear when the year ends? Unfortunately, not this is not the case. The International Research Institution For Climate Predictions says new computer stimulations indicate at least a 98% chance that El Nino will persist into early spring – and there is no telling when or/and if it will stop.