2017 is so far the second-hottest year on record thanks to global warming | Dana Nuccitelli

2017 is behind only El Nino-amplified 2016.

With the first six months of 2017 in the books, average global surface temperatures so far this year are 0.94C above the 1950-1980 average, according to NASA. That makes 2017 the second-hottest first six calendar months on record, behind only 2016.

That's remarkable because 2017 hasn't had the warming influence of an El Nino event. El Ninos bring warm ocean water to the surface, temporarily causing average global surface temperatures to rise. 2016 - including the first six months of the year - was influenced by one of the strongest El Nino events on record.