UN weather agency says 2014 hottest year, in close race with 2005 and 2010

STOCKHOLM – The U.N. weather agency says 2014 was the warmest year on record, though the temperature difference with 2010 and 2005 is so small that it’s impossible to say for sure which of the three years was the hottest.

The World Meteorological Organization’s analysis Monday mirrored findings two weeks ago by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and also included data from the Met Office in Britain.

The Geneva-based WMO said surface temperatures were 0.57 C (1.03 F) above average last year. That’s slightly warmer than 2010 and 2005, but the difference was within the uncertainty margin of 0.10 C (0.18 F).

With 14 of the 15 hottest years recorded this century, WMO chief Michel Jarraud said warming is expected to continue as atmospheric levels of heat-trapping CO2 rise.