2007 to be 'warmest on record'

The world is likely to experience the warmest year on record in 2007, the UK's Met Office has forecast.

An extended warming period, resulting from an El Nino weather event in the Pacific Ocean, is likely to push up global temperatures, experts predict.



They say there is a 60% chance that the average surface temperature will exceed the current record from 1998.

The forecasters also revealed that 2006 saw the highest average temperature in the UK since records began in 1914.

The global surface temperature is projected to be 0.54C above the long-term average of 14C, beating the current record of 0.52C, which was set in 1998.

The annual projection was compiled by the UK Met Office's Hadley Centre, in conjunction with the University of East Anglia.

Chris Folland, head of the Hadley Centre's climate variability research, said the forecast was primarily based on two factors.

The first was greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, he said.

"Greenhouse gases cause heating, while aerosols cause cooling," Professor Folland said.

"The other factor which allows us to make a forecast that whether one year is significantly different from the next is the effect of the El Nino."

(Reuters)

据英国气象局预测，2007年很可能成为有史以来最热的一年。

据有关专家预测，由大西洋“厄尔尼诺现象”所造成的温暖期延长可能会导致全球气温升高。

据估计，2007年的全球平均温度超过1998年所创记录的可能性为60%。

气象预报工作者称，去年英国的平均温度已达到了1914年以来的最高水平。

2007年全球地表温度预计比长期平均值14摄氏度高出0.54摄氏度，将超过1998年创下的0.52摄氏度的纪录。

英国气象局哈德利中心每年都会联合东英格兰大学进行此项气象预测。

哈德利中心气候变化研究项目的负责人克里斯·福兰德说，这一预测主要基于两大因素。

第一个因素是人类活动所排放的温室气体。

福兰德教授说：“温室气体会使地球升温，而大气中的悬浮微粒则能起到降温效果。”

“另一个因素是‘厄尔尼诺’效应，我们可以据此预测下一年的气候是否会出现异常。”

Vocabulary:

greenhouse gas : 温室气体（如：二氧化硫等）

I hate hot weather.