Data: 2015 On Track To Be The Hottest Year On Record

DETROIT (WWJ) -- In what is becoming a routine among climate science, officials announced Monday that 2015 is expected to surpass 2014 as the hottest year on record.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the first half of 2015 has already posted some of the hottest months on record, which dates back to 1880.

"Scientists can't say for sure what will happening in the remaining six months of 2015, but right now the evidence suggests El Niño will last until spring and will likely strengthen in the coming months, making it a good bet that the globe will see more top warm months."

In the latest data, NOAA announced that this past June beat out 2014 for the hottest in recorded history. Scientists attribute some of the warming to El Nino, but say that it isn't the only factor in rising temperatures.

"A Climate Central analysis conducted after 2014 became the warmest year on record showed that 13 of the 15 warmest years have occurred since 2000 and that the odds of that happening randomly without the boost of global warming was 1 in 27 million."

"We do know that as El Niños strengthen, they do tend to cause global temperatures to rise," climate scientist Jessica Blunden said. "The first half of 2015 is already 0.16°F warmer than the previous record for the first half of 2010, which happens to be when we had the last El Niño. If this current El Niño does continue to strengthen, it seems almost certain that 2015 will beat out 2014 as the warmest year on record."

While scientists can't predict entirely what will happen in the second half of 2015, El Nino is expected to last until spring and keep temperatures high throughout the remainder of the year.