2008 to be in top 10 warmest years say forecasters - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

2008 to be in top 10 warmest years say forecasters
Thu Jan 3, 2008 2:24pm EST

By Jeremy Lovell

LONDON (Reuters) - 2008 will be slightly cooler than
recent years globally but will still be among the top
10 warmest years on record since 1850 and should not
be seen as a sign global warming was on the wane,
British forecasters said.

The Met Office and experts at the University of East
Anglia on Thursday said global average temperatures this
year would be 0.37 of a degree Celsius above the long-
term 1961-1990 average of 14 degrees and be the
coolest since 2000.

They said the forecast took into account the annual
Pacific Ocean La Nina weather phenomenon which was
expected to be particularly strong this year and which
would limit the warming trend.

It also took account of rising atmospheric concentrations
of so-called greenhouse gases, solar variations and
natural changes in the ocean currents.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL0314515220080103