Highlights. Earth's temperature has risen by an average of 0.11° Fahrenheit (0.06° Celsius) per decade since 1850, or about 2° F in total. The rate of warming since 1982 is more than three times as fast: 0.36° F (0.20° C) per decade.2023 was the warmest year since global records began in 1850 by a wide margin. It was 2.12 °F (1.18 °C) above the 20th-century average of 57.0°F (13.9°C). It was 2.43 °F (1.35 °C) above the pre-industrial average (1850-1900). The 10 warmest years in the historical record have all occurred in the past decade (2014-2023).
Climate change is affecting our planet in many ways. Average temperatures are increasing; rainfall patterns are shifting; snow lines are retreating; glaciers and ice sheets are melting; permafrost is thawing; sea levels are rising; and severe weather is becoming more frequent.
