Experts: 2014 maybe the warmest year since 1706

The KNMI estimates that 2014 may be the warmest year in at least three centuries.

"The constant warm weather, coupled with global warming, delivers an extremely high average annual temperature." the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute (Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorlogisch Instituut - KNMI) reported on Wednesday.

Up until August, all months this year were warmer than usual. As a result there is little more needed to achieve a heat record. If we assume that the rest of the year will have normal temperatures, the national annual average temperature of 2014 will amount to about 11.3 degrees. This is well above the previous eat record of 11.0 degrees which was achieved in both 2006 and 2007.

The average temperature in the Netherlands has gradually increased over the last few years, the KNMI reports. The current temperature is about 1.6 degrees higher than at the beginning of the 18th century, when measurements started in the Netherlands. In addition the erratic weather creates random variations, which also make a positive contribution to the weather.

The Netherlands is in line with the global warming. The temperature over land rises steadily, while the surface of the ocean warms irregularly. The deeper layers show the continuing warming through greenhouse gasses.

The rising temperature, combined with an occasional large amount of days with warm weather, means that 2014 is likely to be the warmest year in the measuring range of the Netherlands starting in 1706.