The dry Maria Cristina reservoir in Spain (EPA-Yonhap)
WASHINGTON (AFP) ― April was historically hot across the globe, tying with 2010 for the highest average temperature since 1880, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday.
“The globally averaged temperature across land and ocean surfaces tied with 2010 as the highest on record for the month,” NOAA said in a statement.
The planet last month was 0.77 degrees Celsius hotter than the 20th-century average.
Central Siberia saw temperatures more than 5 degrees Celsius above average.
Britain saw its third warmest April since record-keeping began in 1910, and Australia observed its seventh hottest April over the same time span.
Meanwhile, much of the United States and Canada saw cooler than average temperatures for the month.
“This contrast is an example of how a globally averaged temperature can differ from a single smaller region,” NOAA said.
The last time global April temperatures fell below the 20th-century average was in 1976, the agency said.