According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration the summer of 2014 was the hottest in recorded history. Although the change was extremely gradual on a grand scale, if you noticed more days filled with sweat, then you were right on the money. The 20^th century average for world temperature centers around 61.50 degrees Fahrenheit, but for the summer of 2014 the temperature rose 1.28 degree Fahrenheit.

Naturally the world scale is averaged from desert countries in the Sahara to colder climates as experienced in Northern Russian. The findings are not necessarily startling but it is interesting to calculate changes in temperature and then research into what could have caused it.

Scientists are not worried about the gradual increase and they claim that anomalies happen all the time for varying reasons. However, if the gradual warming of the land and oceans continues to increase every year then there may be an underlying problem that could lead to harsh repercussions.

Alongside the temperature on land, the NOAA also tracks the ocean temperature, which is extremely important for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the fishing industry is one of the largest in the world. There are numerous nations who largely live off of seafood. Changes in ocean temperature could force fish and other sea creatures to migrate, or simply die due to the changes in their climate. The ocean makes up 75 percent of the Earth so it is always important to keep track of its climate. The ocean is reportedly 1.13 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20^th century average.

The trouble with world averages is that they are done on such a large scale that it can give misleading information. Although the world's temperature saw an increase, in the lower 48 states of America, the summer of 2014 was the coolest since 2009. When analyzing data it is essential to understand that such a large span of data does not necessary apply to every state or even every country.

The warming ocean temperatures have been linked to land ice loss in Antarctica. The melting ice could eventually have an impact on rising sea levels that will affect coastal cities. Naturally, the world is not at the point of panic, but it is comforting to know that the NOAA is keeping close tabs on changes to temperature changes on the planet.