Met Office Predicts Drop In Global Temperatures For 2018

La Nina and volcanic eruptions could help cool down the planet next year, the Met Office has said.

The year 2016 was the warmest year on record – and 2017 third hottest on record.

Forecasters said that 2018 – while still among the hottest years ever recorded – will be relatively cooler.

This is because a weather event called La Nina – cooler than average sea temperatures in the south Pacific – will reduce the global temperature.

But the Met Office warned that if active volcanoes erupt it could further cool the planet down.

A graph showing global average temperature relative to the 1850¿1900 baseline. The grey line and shading shows the 95% uncertainty range. The forecast value for 2018 and its uncertainty range are shown in green and black

A graph showing global average temperature relative to the 1850–1900 baseline. The grey line and shading shows the 95% uncertainty range. The forecast value for 2018 and its uncertainty range are shown in green and black

The Met Office forecast that the global average temperature for 2018 would be between 0.88°C and 1.12°C – with a central estimate of 1°C.

This is compared to temperatures before 1850-1900 – the industrial revolution.

2016 – the hottest year on record was 1.14°C warmer than pre-industrial levels. 2015, the second hottest year, was 1.08°C warmer, while 2017 was third hottest at 1.05°C warmer than pre-industrial levels.

Professor Adam Scaife, head of long-range prediction at the Met Office, said: “2018 will be very warm globally but is unlikely to exceed the recent record, set in 2016 – but could be cooled further from volcanic eruptions.”