August just set an unprecedented global heat record

NASA's August global temperature data is in, and it shows the August tied the record just set in July as the hottest month on record globally.

https://twitter.com/NASAGISS/status/775348574204813312

With the record August data now in, NASA's Gavin Schmidt calculates a greater than 99% chance 2016 will end as the next new 'warmest year on record' globally.

Unprecedented temperature surge globally 

Our planet is about to do something unprecedented in the modern temperature record.

Earth is on pace in 2016 to post the 3rd consecutive 'warmest year on record' globally for the first time since modern temperature records began 136 years ago.

Record warmth without El Nino

One eye opening aspect of this year's record warmth is the current absence of any El Nino related warming to boost global temperatures. In other words our planet is at record warm levels, in spite of strong cooling in recent months in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Even though there may be a potential 'heat lag' still present in the atmosphere from the most recent record El Nino, the August records may be a sign that human induced global warmth is overriding natural cycles by a larger margin. Most climate watchers expect global temperatures to fall some next year, but still remain at or near 'top 10' levels globally.

In a 'normal' climate system you would expect a balance of warmer and cooler than average years over time. For perceptive the last year cooler than the 20th century average globally was 1976. The string of 40 consecutive years (well) above the 20th century global temperature average is strong evidence earth's climate system is seriously out of alignment.

Longer term perspective

How far out of balance is earth's climate right now? Here's an excellent timeline of how earth's climate has changed since the last ice age. Note the rapid and unprecedented pace of warming at the bottom of the graphic in the link below.