2012 could be one of the hottest on record

THIS year could become one of the top 10 hottest since 1850, with global temperatures expected to be almost half a degree celsius warmer in 2012 than the long-term (1961-1990)average of 14 degrees, the British Met Office said.

The prediction follows provisional figures published by the Met Office and University of East Anglia last month, which showed that temperatures in 2011 were 0.36 degrees above the long-term average to make it the 11th warmest year on record.

The Met Office said: “2012 is expected to be around 0.48 degrees warmer than the long-term [1961-1990] global average of 14.0 degrees, with a predicted likely range of between 0.34 and 0.62 degrees.”