May 2016 Hottest May Since 1880

Combined global temp. for May 2016 rose 0.87°C above the 20th century average

The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces (SST) for May 2016 was the highest for May in the 137-year period of record, at 0.87°C (1.57°F) above the 20th century average of 14.8°C (58.6°F), besting the previous record set in 2015 by 0.02°C (0.04°F). May 2016 marks the 13th consecutive month a monthly global temperature record has been broken—the longest such streak since global temperature records began in 1880. —NOAA

Land. The average global temperature across land surfaces was 1.17°C (2.11°F) above the 20th century average of 11.1°C (52.0°F)—the third highest May temperature on record, behind 2012 (+1.26°C / +2.27°F) and 2015 (+1.21°C / +2.18°F).

SST. The May globally-averaged sea surface temperature was 0.76°C (1.37°F) above the 20th century average of 16.3°C (61.3°F). This was the highest for May on record, besting the previous record set in 2015 by 0.05°C (0.09°F).

May 2016 Selected Climate Anomalies and Events Map

January – May

The average global land and SST for January–May 2016 was the warmest on record across the world at 1.08°C (1.94°F) above the 20th century average of 13.1°C (55.5°F), surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.24°C (0.43°F).

Much-warmer-than-average conditions engulfed the vast majority of the world’s land surfaces, resulting in a record warm January–May period at 1.85°C (3.33°F) above the 20th century average of 6.0°C (42.8°F), besting the previous record set in 2015 by 0.45°C (0.81°F).

The average global SST for the year-to-date was the highest for January–May in the 137-year period of record, at 0.80°C (1.44°F) above average surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.16°C (0.29°F). Record warm sea surface temperature during January–May 2016 was present across much of the Indian Ocean and Southwest Pacific Ocean, with scattered areas across the Atlantic Ocean and the tropical Pacific Ocean.

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for May 2016, published online June 2016, retrieved on June 16, 2016 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201605.

State of Emergency Declared in New Mexico as Wildfire Spreads

Fast moving Dog Head fire grows to over 5,000 acres, consumes structures

Dog Head fire broke out in the Manzano Mountains Tuesday afternoon and has since consumed more than 5,000 acres, with zero containment, prompting State of Emergency declaration and mass evacuations.

At least 200 homes have been evacuated, as Gov. Martinez declared a state of emergency, and placed the National Guard on standby.

The Dog Head Wildfire is affecting portions of Bernalillo and Torrance Counties, Martinez said in her Proclamation.

Significant Earthquake Strikes South of Sapporo, Japan

Quake registers ‘6-‘ on the local seismic scale, rattles S Hokkaido, N  Honshu

Measuring magnitude 5.3Mw [6- 0n the local seismic scale of 0 to 7,] the event was centered at 42.0N,141.0E [110km S of Sapporo,] striking at a depth of 10km, Japan’s weather forecasters reported.

The quake is the latest episode in the renewed waves of seismicity striking Japan region.

Tomari Nuclear Power Station

The quake occurred about 120km SSW of Tomari Nuclear Power Station [43.036N, 140.512E] home to three PWR reactors.