global warming

How hot can it get, really?

The global daily maximum temperature will most likely occur in desert regions of whichever hemisphere is experiencing summer. From December through February, the highest temperatures are usually recorded in the Southern Hemisphere. In March and April, the pre-monsoon, parched areas of India and Pakistan often have the world's highest temperatures, and by late summer the deserts of North America, the Middle East and northern Africa are usually the hottest places on Earth.

Though the summer solstice occurs about December 21 in the Southern Hemisphere, the highest temperatures are usually recorded in January and February. In the Northern Hemisphere, the highest temperatures occur between July and September. Even thought the Sun's ray are most direct and closest to being overhead in the sub tropics at noon near the time of the solstice, it takes a while for the land, oceans and atmosphere to heat up. The Earth is about 3% closer to the Sun in December than in June, but since there's so much more water in the Southern Hemisphere, things don't usually heat up as quickly and to the same degree as in the Northern Hemisphere.

Wow, it's almost like somebody designed it that way!