Another Temperature Record

Joe Romm reports that while 2017 is the second warmest year on record, it can also be viewed as the warmest non-El Nino year.

And that has scientists worried, since the warmest years usually happen when the long-term human-caused global warming trend gets a short-term boost from an El Niño’s enhanced warming in the tropical Pacific. 

Update (January 14):  Romm further reports that December in Alaska was 15.7 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average. And Arctic sea ice extent was a record low for the end of December.