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Over the past few years, the effects of global warming have consistently but slowly warmed up the temperatures, leading to hotter summers. After an analysis by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the agency concluded that 2012 was the ninth warmest year ever recorded in history. The WMO tracks the weather and works on behalf of the 193 countries that are a part of the United Nations (UN).  The organization first started tracking the weather in 1850 and has recorded patterns since then.

According to the WMO, 2012 joins many of the other years between 2001 and 2012 that are on the top ten list. The report stated that last year's average sea-surface temperature was 0.45 degrees Celsius, which is roughly 32 degrees Fahrenheit between January and December. This number is significantly higher than the average of temperatures from 1961 to 1990. Even though overall temperature was on the rise, the report found that in certain regions, such as areas of Alaska, sections of northern and eastern Australia, and central Asia, the temperatures had actually dropped.

Not only are the temperatures increasing, the organization stated that the Artic sea ice is at its lowest-ever recorded level. In addition to the increased rate of melting ice, increased rainfall has contributed to extreme cases of flooding in some regions of the world. Rainfall and super storms, like Hurricane Sandy that hit the Northeast region of the United States and Typhoon Bopha that hit the Philippines, are believed to be due to climate changes as well.  The report announced that rainfall increased dramatically in central United States, northern Mexico, central Russia and south-central Australia.

"The continued upward trend in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and the consequent increase in radioactive forcing of the earth's atmosphere confirm that the warming will continue."

The report also stated that an increase in temperatures might not be felt year after year. However, when the temperatures do rise, it might be even hotter than ever before.