Fortunately for the alarmist scientists, it's not too difficult to trick the typical journalist/pundit or celebrity regarding global warming (e.g., see this Krugman-I-am-a-climate-moron headline). All that needs to be done is to add the "est" ending to any word and the mass hysteria of the journalist/celebrity lemmings is set in hilarious motion - The "OMG, we're all going to die" type of hilarity.
The latest round of mass hysteria was recently initiated by the NOAA/NCDC/GISS scientists with the warm'est' 4-months announcement, the warm'est' 5-months, the warm'est' 6-months, the warm'est' June and etc.
Putting aside the inconvenient fact that the world is still naturally warming from the Little Ice Age and "warmest" periods should naturally occur, what's the reality of global temperatures for all the six-month periods ending in June? Let's take a look at that question by putting the temperature data into context that provides the big picture, and avoids the short-term "est" propaganda of global warming alarmist scientists (click on image to enlarge)
This first chart plots the change in the first six (6) month's average temperature of a calendar year relative to the previous calendar first six month's average temperature. For example, the very last column on the chart shows the 2010 January-June temperature increase over the previous year's (2009) average 6-month temperature of the January-June period.
When looking at all 130 years of first 6-month temperature changes, we see a wide variation in outcome without any obvious significant trend. True, there are more increases versus decreases observed, but that is to be expected, since the Earth's climate is presently occupying the rebound phase (cycle) from the bitter cold of the Little Ice Age.
The red curve on the above chart represents a moving 15-year average, which provides us the requisite long-term context of changes regarding 'January-thru-June' temps. At the tip of the green line arrow is the data point representing the 15-year average ending in 2010. It's certainly not a very impressive data point, though. Why? Well, the big picture provides the obvious: there have been multiple occasions in the past when the 15-year moving average was higher (i.e., the red curve exceeds the green line) than this last 15-year warm"est" period.
Clearly, despite the short-term utilization of the "est" tactic and the risible, hysterical response of the pundit/celebrity class, the big climate data picture reveals a very modest, unexceptional temperature change, as exhibited by the last of the 15-year periods ending in 2010. And, there's even more big picture evidence that undercuts the alarmist "est" fear-mongering about recent January-June global temperatures. (click on image to enlarge)
This second chart examines the much proclaimed "acceleration" of temperatures, again using the average temperature of the first six (6) months of each calendar year. To provide additional long-term, big picture context, the moving 15-year slope of the trend (rate of change) is calculated as the degree temperature change rate per century and then plotted.
Look carefully at the last data point, which represents the 15-years trend ending June 2010, that data point is very educational. Simply put, the warming acceleration for the warm"est" six months, evaaar, is not exceptional. Indeed, this rate of temperature change is well within the range of ordinary. And, as you might note, the 15-year period ending in 1942 exhibits a temperature acceleration that's never been matched (or for those journalists/celebrities reading this, and need the "proper" scientific guidance, 1942 is the highEST evaaar!).
Additional current temp charts here. Historical temp charts here.