The data is a closely watched indicator of the Earth's changing climate, particularly as projections for future years anticipate the trend to continue.
ADVERTISEMENTThe past decade was the warmest ever recorded, government science agencies announced Wednesday.
That conclusion, based on newly released data, also found that 2019 was the second-hottest year in recorded history.
The yearly analysis is a closely watched indicator of the Earth's changing climate, particularly as projections for future years anticipate the trend to continue.
Average global temperatures in 2019 were 1.71 degrees Fahrenheit (0.95 degrees Celsius) warmer than the 20th century average, according to separate independent analyses by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Last year fell just shy of 2016, which remains the hottest year in NOAA's 140-year climate record.
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