According to the federal National Climatic Data Center in America, the world is enduring the hottest year on record.
(For the first six months of the year, 2010 has been warmer than the first half of 1998, the previous record holder, by 0.03° F. Northern Thailand has its worst drought in 20 years, while Israel is in the middle of the longest and most severe drought since the 1920s. In Britain, this year has been the driest since 1929. However, it remains to be seen whether 2010 will overtake 2005 as the hottest year overall.)