2015 Named the hottest year on record

Photo: Climate Central

NASA stated that the warming temperatures are also largely driven by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere.

Brilio.net/en - Hot, hot heat. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA, 2015 was the warmest year on record since the Organization began keeping data in 1880.

Shanghai, at two degrees warmer, according to Climate Central

Shanghai, if temperatures were rise by four degree

The previous 12 months have been the warmest respective months on record, and by quite a startling margin. The temperature was 20% higher than the previous highest departure from the average. Much of the Northern Hemisphere would agree as this Christmas was most definitely not white. The temperatures in December were some of the warmest on file and felt more like spring than the beginning of winter.

The reason that 2015 was the warmest year on record can be attributed to El Nio. These are characterized by a significant warming over tropical waters in the Pacific that pump excess heat into the atmosphere, thereby raising global temperatures. This past years El Nio was added to the strongest El Nio observed, alongside the El Nio from 1997-1998.

But NASA was quick to add that humans are also at fault. In a press release, NASA stated that the warming temperatures are also "largely driven by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere.

2016 is in the running for beating out its predecessor as the warmest year on record. The odds are high likely, especially noting that 15 of the 16 warmest years on record have occurred since 2000, with 1998 being the only 20th century year on the list.