Recent U.S. government data reveals that 2022 ranks among the top 10 hottest years on record since 1880, with it being the warmest year recorded during a La Niña event, which typically has a cooling effect. NASA and NOAA both released global temperature data showing 2022 as exceptionally warm.
According to NOAA, it was the sixth warmest year, while NASA ranked it fifth, tied with 2015. Both agencies found that global temperatures were approximately 1.6°F above 20th-century averages.
La Niña events occur when Pacific trade winds intensify, pushing warm water westward and usually cooling global temperatures. Conversely, El Niño events weaken these winds, allowing warm water to move east and raise temperatures.
The rise in global average temperatures by over 1 degree Celsius since pre-industrial times has already led to severe climate impacts, including extreme weather events and accelerated ice melt.Despite these cooling periods, global temperatures continue to rise, a trend attributed primarily to increased greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane.
Global greenhouse gas emissions, which fell in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, have since risen again. While U.S. emissions slightly increased in 2022, they have generally been trending downward since 2000. To combat global warming, experts emphasize the need to reach net-zero carbon dioxide emissions.
Even a small rise in global average temperature significantly impacts the planet.
For instance, a temperature increases of just one degree Celsius since pre-industrial times has already led to more frequent heatwaves, intensified rainfall, and accelerated ice melt. With each additional degree of warming, these effects are expected to worsen dramatically.
In the U.S., 2022 saw 18 weather and climate events causing over $1 billion each in damages, totaling at least $165 billion and resulting in 474 fatalities. As temperatures continue to rise, the associated impacts are likely to intensify significantly.