Second Warmest March since 1880

State of the Climate: Global Climate Report – March 2017

March 2017 was the second warmest since global temperature records began in 1880, with the average temperature (combined global land and SST) rising 1.05°C (1.89°F) above the 20th century average of 12.7°C (54.9°F).

• Record March 2016 temperature was 0.18°C (0.32°F) higher.
• March 2017 marks the first time since April 2016 that the global land and ocean temperature departure from average was greater than 1.0°C (1.8°F).

Land – March 2017

Global land temperature during January–March 2017 was also the second highest on record at 1.75°C (3.15°F) above the 20th century average of 3.7°C (38.5°F). Record March 2016 was warmer by 0.31°C (0.56°F).

SST

SST in March 2017 was 0.71°C (1.28°F) above the 20th century average of 15.9°C (60.7°F). This was the second highest March in the 138-year record, behind 2016 by 0.10°C (0.18°F) and ahead of 2015 by +0.08°C (0.14°F).

Q1 -2017

Land and SST temperature for Q1 (January–March) was 0.97°C (1.75°F) above the 20th century average of 12.3°C (54.1°F)—the second highest such period in the 138-year record. This value trails behind the record year set in 2016 by 0.18°C (0.32°F).

Land  temperature for the same period was also the second highest on record at 1.75°C (3.15°F) above the 20th century average of 3.7°C (38.5°F). This value was behind the record warm 2016 by 0.31°C (0.56°F).

SST for the period was 0.68°C (1.22°F) above the 20th century average of 15.9°C (60.6°F)—also the second highest in the 138–year record, behind 2016 by 0.14°C (0.25°F).

Arctic Sea Ice Extent
March 2017 sea ice extent was 7.5 percent below the 1981-2010 average—the smallest March ice cover since satellite records began in 1979.

Antarctic Sea Ice Extent

March 2017 sea ice extent was 34.2 percent below the 1981-2010 average—the smallest March ice cover on record.

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Climate Report for March 2017, published online April 2017, retrieved on April 19, 2017 from https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201703.

Polar Regions Experience Smallest Sea Ice Extents for February

TG-FEWW-CM

February 2017 Second Warmest on Record —NOAA

It was the 41st consecutive February and the 386th consecutive month with temperatures exceeding the 20th century average.

The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for February 2017 was 0.98°C (1.76°F) above the 20th century average of 12.1°C (53.9°F)—the second highest for February in the 138-year period of record, trailing behind the record set in 2016 (+1.20°C / +2.16°F) and ahead of 2015 by +0.10°C (+0.18°F).

February 2017 was the highest monthly temperature departure from average since April 2016 (+1.07°C / +1.93°F) and the seventh highest monthly temperature departure among all months (1646) on record. This was the 41st consecutive February and the 386th consecutive month with temperatures above the 20th century average. The February global land and ocean temperature has increased at an average rate of +0.07°C (+0.13°F) per decade since 1880; however, the average rate of increase is twice as great since 1980.

 

The average global temperature across land surfaces was 1.78°C (3.20°F) above the 20th century average of 3.2°C (37.8°F) and the second highest February global land temperature on record, trailing behind 2016 by 0.50°C (0.90°F) and ahead of 2015 by 0.09°C (0.16°F).

This was also the highest monthly temperature departure from average since April 2016 (+1.86°C / +3.35°F) and the seventh highest among all months on record.

For the oceans, the February globally-averaged sea surface temperature was 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20th century average of 15.9°C (60.6°F), the second highest for February on record, behind the record-breaking year 2016 (+0.80°C / +1.44°F) and surpassing 2015 by +0.08°C (+0.14°F). February 2017 was the highest monthly temperature departure from average since October 2016 (+0.72°C / +1.30°F) and the 22nd highest among all months on record.

The average global sea surface temperature for the year-to-date was also the second highest in the 137-year record, at 0.67°C (1.21°F) above average, behind 2016 by 0.16°C (0.29°F).

The December–February seasonal global land and ocean temperature was 0.89°C (1.60°F) above the 20th century average of 12.1°C (53.8°F)—the second highest temperature departure from average for December–February in the 1880–2017 record, behind 2015/2016 by 0.23°C (0.41°F).

This was the highest three-month temperature departure since July–September 2016 (+0.89°C / +1.60°F) and tied with May–July 2016, June–August 2016, and July–September 2016 as the tenth highest three-month temperature departure from average since 1880.

The global land and ocean temperature during the three-month period of December–February has increased at an average rate of +0.07°C (+0.13°F) per decade since 1880; however, the average rate of increase is twice as great since 1980.

The globally-averaged temperature across land surfaces for December–February was also the second highest on record for the season, at 1.52°C (2.74°F) above the 20th century average of 3.2°C (37.8°F), behind 2015/2016 by 0.39°C (0.70°F).

This was the highest three-month temperature departure from average since March–May 2016 (1.81°C / 3.26°F) and the eighth highest in the 138-year record.

Across the world’s oceans, the December–February average sea surface temperature was 0.66°C (1.19°F) above the 20th century average of 15.8°C (60.5°F)—the second highest for December–February on record, trailing 2015/2016 by 0.17°C (0.31°F).

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for February 2017, published online March 2017, retrieved on March 18, 2017 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201702.

U.S. Autumn Warmest on Record

U.S. autumn temperature 2.8ºC above average

The U.S. temperature in autumn was 14.2ºC, 2.8 degrees above average [57.6 degrees F, 4.1 degrees a.a.] surpassing last fall as the warmest on record, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.

• November was the 2nd warmest on record, with an average temperature across the contiguous U.S. of 8.9ºC, 3.5 degrees above average [48 degrees F, 6.3 degrees a.a. ]
  • Every state in the Continental U.S. and Alaska were warmer than average during November. The precipitation total for the month was 0.50 inch below average.
• The year-to-date (January-November) average temperature for the contiguous U.S. was 13.8ºC,  1.7 degrees above average [56.9 degrees F, 3.1 degrees a.a.]

November’s  Selected  Climate Events:

• Drought: Extreme to exceptional drought in the Lower 48 increased from 4.9% to 8.7% of the area; in the Southeast from 19.7% to 36.2%.
• Wildfires: In November, 8,560 wildfires raged across the Continental U.S. and burned more than 275,000 acres, most notably in the Southeast.
• North Dakota Temperatures rocketed 7.1ºC [12.8 degrees F] above average, about 1.1 degrees above the previous record set in 1999.
• Alaska experienced its warmest year to date on record, with the mercury rising more than 3.3 degrees [6 degrees F] above average.
• Pacific Northwest Washington state had record rainfall.

NOAA’s report, related maps and images are posted at the NCEI website.

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.

Year-to-Date Global Temperature Highest on Record

DISASTERS CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
RISING TEMPERATURES
EXTREME WET & EXTREME DRY CONDITIONS
ECOLOGICAL COLLAPSE
SPECIES EXTINCTION 
MAIN SCENARIOS: 900, 888, 808, 800, 797,  777, 666, 560, 555, 444, 300, 123, 117, 114, 111, 101, 100, 097, 090, 080, 078, 071, 067, 066, 047, 033, 027, 025, 024, 023, 022, 012, 011, 09, 04, 03, 02, 01
.

November 2014 global temperature ties for seventh highest on record: NOAA

The first 11 months of 2014 was the warmest such period on record, with a combined global land and ocean average surface temperature of 1.22°F (0.68°C) above the 20^th century average of 57.0°F (13.9°C), surpassing the previous record set in 2010 by 0.02°F (0.01°C), according to NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate report.

Global temperature highlights:

Year-to-date

• The global ocean surface temperature for the year-to-date was 1.03°F (0.57°C) above the 20^th century average, the warmest such period on record.

• The January–November global land surface temperature was 1.71°F (0.95°C) above the 20^th century average, the sixth warmest such period on record.

2014 is currently on track to be the warmest year on record should the December global temperature stay at least 0.76°F (0.42°C) above its 20^th century average.

2014 End-of-Year Global Temperature scenarios: Source: NCDC/NOAA

Global temperature highlights:

September–November

• The combined average temperature for global land and ocean surfaces for September–November was the highest on record for this period, at 1.26°F (0.70°C) above the 20^th century average of 57.1°F (14.0°C).

• The September–November global sea surface temperature was 1.13°F (0.63°C) above the 20^th century average of 60.7°F (16.0°C), the highest for September–November on record.

• The global land temperature was the ninth highest for September–November on record, at 1.62°F (0.90°C) above the 20^th century average of 48.3°F (9.1°C). The margin of error is ±0.31°F (0.17°C).

Details posted at: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for November 2014, published online December 2014, retrieved on December 16, 2014 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/11

[Note: Global report will be released on Wednesday December 17^th at 11:00 am EST.]

Related Links (Most Recent)

• Global Temperature Breaks October Record: Report November 29, 2014
• Global Temperature Reaches Record High in September: NOAA October 21, 2014
• August Global Temperature Breaks Record September 20, 2014
• Hottest June on Record Posted on July 22, 2014
• May Global Temperature Reaches All-time High Posted on June 24, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought Posted on March 18, 2014
• December Ocean Temperature 2nd Warmest Posted on January 23, 2010
• Global Temperature Analysis Posted on January 22, 2014

Global Temperature Breaks October Record: Report

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
RISING TEMPERATURES
EXTREME WET & EXTREME DRY CONDITIONS
ECOLOGICAL COLLAPSE
SPECIES EXTINCTION 
MAIN SCENARIOS: 900, 888, 808, 800, 797,  777, 666, 560, 555, 444, 300, 123, 117, 114, 111, 101, 100, 097, 090, 080, 078, 071, 067, 066, 047, 033, 027, 025, 024, 023, 022, 012, 011, 09, 04, 03, 02, 01
.

Average Global Temperature Breaks October Record: NOAA

The combined average temperature for global land and ocean surfaces (SST) broke the October record last month, at 0.74°C (1.33°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.0°C (57.1°F), reported NCDC/NOAA.

Global Highlights

• Combined average temperature for global land and ocean surfaces for October 2014 broke the month’s record, at 0.74°C (1.33°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.0°C (57.1°F).
• October global SST was 0.62°C (1.12°F) above the 20^th century average of 15.9°C (60.6°F), breaking October record.
• Land surface temperature rose 1.05°C (1.89°F) above the 20^th century average of 9.3°C (48.7°F)—the fifth highest recorded for October.
• Combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for January–October period (year-to-date) was 0.68°C (1.22°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.1°C (57.4°F).
• The first ten months of 2014 were the warmest such period on record, with records dating back to 1880.
• October was the third consecutive month and fifth of the past six with a record high global temperature for its respective month (July was fourth highest).
• 2014 is currently on track to be the warmest year on record.

October saw extreme wet and extreme dry conditions scattered across the globe.

The most recent 12-month period, November 2013–October 2014, broke the record (set just last month) for the all-time warmest 12-month period in the 135-year period of record, at 0.68°C (1.22°F) above average, with November 2013 and May, June, August, September, and October 2014 all record warm for their respective months. (originally published as 0.69°C, corrected 20 Nov 2014)

Details posted at: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for October 2014, published online November 2014, retrieved on November 28, 2014 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/10.

Related Links (Most Recent)

• Global Temperature Reaches Record High in September: NOAA October 21, 2014
• August Global Temperature Breaks Record September 20, 2014
• Hottest June on Record Posted on July 22, 2014
• May Global Temperature Reaches All-time High Posted on June 24, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought Posted on March 18, 2014
• December Ocean Temperature 2nd Warmest Posted on January 23, 2010
• Global Temperature Analysis Posted on January 22, 2014

Global Temperature Reaches Record High in September: NOAA

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
RISING TEMPERATURES
ECOLOGICAL COLLAPSE
SPECIES EXTINCTION 
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 808, 800, 797,  777, 666, 555, 444, 300, 123, 111, 101, 090, 067, 066, 033, 011, 04, 03, 02, 01
.

Global temperature breaks September record; ties record highest for January-September

The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces reached a record high for September, at 0.72°C (1.30°F) above the 20^th century average of 15.0°C (59.0°F), according to  NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

Additionally, the first nine months of 2014 (January–September) tied with 1998 as the warmest such period on record, with a combined global land and ocean average surface temperature 0.68°C (1.22°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.1°C (57.5°F), said NCDC.

If 2014 maintains this temperature departure from average for the remainder of the year, it will be the warmest calendar year on record. The past 12 months—October 2013–September 2014—was the warmest 12-month period among all months since records began in 1880, at 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20^th century average. This breaks the previous record of +0.68°C (+1.22°F) set for the periods September 1998–August 1999, August 2009–July 2010; and September 2013–August 2014.

Global Highlights

• The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for September 2014 was the highest on record for September, at 0.72°C (1.30°F) above the 20^th century average of 15.0°C (59.0°F).

• The global land surface temperature was 0.89°C (1.60°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.0°C (53.6°F), the sixth highest for September on record.

• Heating Ocean. The September global sea surface temperature was 0.66°C (1.19°F) above the 20^th century average of 16.2°C (61.1°F), the highest on record for September and also the highest on record for any month.

• The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for the January–September period (year-to-date) was 0.68°C (1.22°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.1°C (57.5°F), tying with 1998 as the warmest such period on record.

 

Details posted at: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for September 2014, published online October 2014, retrieved on October 20, 2014 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/9

Related Links (Most Recent)

• August Global Temperature Breaks Record September 20, 2014
• Hottest June on Record Posted on July 22, 2014
• May Global Temperature Reaches All-time High Posted on June 24, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought Posted on March 18, 2014
• December Ocean Temperature 2nd Warmest Posted on January 23, 2010
• Global Temperature Analysis Posted on January 22, 2014

August Global Temperature Breaks Record

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
RISING TEMPERATURES
MAIN SCENARIOS 797,  777, 555, 444, 300, 123, 111, 101, 066, 033, 011, 04, 03, 02
.

Warmest Summer on Record: Global Temperatures Continue Rising

The combined average global temperature for land and ocean surfaces during August 2014 was a record high for the month, at 0.75°C (1.35°F) above the 20^th century average of 15.6°C (60.1°F), beating the previous record set in 1998, said NOAA in its monthly State of the Climate Report.

Other Global Highlights [Source: NOAA]

• The August global sea surface temperature was 0.65°C (1.17°F) above the 20^th century average of 16.4°C (61.4°F). This record high departure from average not only beats the previous August record set in 2005 by 0.08°C (0.14°F), but beats the previous all-time record set just two months ago in June 2014 by 0.03°C (0.05°F).

• The global land surface temperature for the month was 0.99°C (1.78°F) above the 20^th century average of 13.8°C (56.9°F), the second highest on record for August, behind 1998.

Warmest Summer on Record

• The combined average global land and ocean surface temperature for the June–August period was also record high for this period [record keeping began in 1880,] at 0.71°C (1.28°F) above the 20^th century average of 16.4°C (61.5°F), shattering the previous record set in 1998.

• The first eight months of 2014 (January–August) were the third warmest such period on record across the world’s land and ocean surfaces, with an average temperature that was 0.68°C (1.22°F) above the 20^th century average of 57.3°F (14.0°C). If 2014 maintains this temperature departure from average for the remainder of the year, it will be the warmest year on record.

• The average global sea surface temperature tied with 2010 as the second highest for January–August in the 135-year period of record, behind 1998.

Related Links (Most Recent)

• Hottest June on Record Posted on July 22, 2014
• May Global Temperature Reaches All-time High Posted on June 24, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought Posted on March 18, 2014
• December Ocean Temperature 2nd Warmest Posted on January 23, 2010
• Global Temperature Analysis Posted on January 22, 2014

Hottest June on Record

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
RISING TEMPERATURES
MAIN SCENARIOS 797,  777, 555, 444, 300, 123, 111, 101, 066, 033, 011, 04, 03, 02
.

June 2014 average land and ocean temperature highest for the month since records began in 1880

The combined global average temperature across land and ocean for June 2014 was the highest for the month, at 0.72°C (1.30°F) above the 20th century average. The previous record was set in June 1998, by 0.03°C (0.05°F), according to the State of Climate Report released by NOAA.

Nine of the ten warmest Junes on record have occurred during the 21st century, including five consecutively since 2010.

“June 2014 also marks the second consecutive month with record high global temperatures. With the exception of February (21st warmest), every month to date in 2014 has ranked among the four warmest for its respective month.”

June 2014 also marked the 38th consecutive June and 352nd consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average.

Selected highlights mirrored from NOAA’s June 2014 State of Climate Report:

• The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for June 2014 was the highest on record for the month, at 0.72°C (1.30°F) above the 20th century average of 15.5°C (59.9°F).

• The global land surface temperature was 0.95°C (1.71°F) above the 20th century average of 13.3°C (55.9°F), the seventh highest for June on record.

• For the ocean, the June global sea surface temperature was 0.64°C (1.15°F) above the 20th century average of 16.4°C (61.5°F), the highest for June on record and the highest departure from average for any month.

• The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for the January–June period (year-to-date) was 0.67°C (1.21°F) above the 20th century average of 13.5°C (56.3°F), tying with 2002 as the third warmest such period on record.

The Ocean

The June global ocean surface temperature was record high, at 0.64°C (1.15°F) above the 20^th century average of 16.4°C (61.5°F). “This marks the first time that the monthly global ocean temperature anomaly was higher than 0.60°C (1.08°F) and surpasses the previous all-time record for any month by 0.05°C (0.09°F); the previous record of +0.59°C (1.06°F) was first set in June 1998 and tied in October 2003, July 2009, and just last month in May 2014.”

Related Links (Most Recent)

• May Global Temperature Reaches All-time High Posted on June 24, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought Posted on March 18, 2014
• December Ocean Temperature 2nd Warmest Posted on January 23, 2010
• Global Temperature Analysis Posted on January 22, 2014