2016 Confirmed as Warmest Year on Record Globally

Who Let the Genie Out of the Well?

2016 also 3rd consecutive year of record warmth

Last year was warmest on record, topping 2015, the previous warmest year since 1880, according to the 27th annual State of the Climate report.

Most indicators of climate change have continued to follow trends of a warming globe, while land and ocean temperatures, sea level and greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere broke records set in 2015, according to the report.

Notable findings from the report include:

Greenhouse gases were toppled record. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, reached new record-high values in 2016. Average global CO2 concentration in 2016 was 402.9 parts per million (ppm), an increase of 3.5 ppm compared with 2015 and the largest annual increase observed in the 58-year record.

Global surface temperature was the highest on record. The 2016 combined global land and ocean surface temperature reached a record-high for a third consecutive year, ranging 0.45°–0.56°C above the 1981-2010 average.

Average SST was the highest on record. The 2016 SST was 0.36C to 0.41C higher than the 1981–2010 average topping the previous record set in 2015 by 0.01 to 0.03 C degrees C).

Global sea level was the highest on record. The global average sea level rose to a new record high in 2016, and was about 82 mm higher than that observed in 1993, when satellite record-keeping for sea level began.

Arctic sea ice coverage was at or near record low. The maximum Arctic sea ice extent reached in March 2016 tied last year as the smallest in the 37-year satellite data record, while the minimum sea ice extent in September tied 2007 as the second lowest on record.

Tropical cyclones were above-average overall. There were 93 named tropical cyclones across all ocean basins in 2016, above the 1981-2010 average of 82 storms. Three basins – the North Atlantic and Eastern and Western Pacific basins – experienced above-normal activity in 2016.

 

World-wide events from 2016 State of the Climate Report (NOAA)

 

Download State of the Climate in 2016

Full Report

Executive Summary

Index Page

FIRE-EARTH Alert: Heatwave Hits S. Australia

• CJ Members
• EAC
• OC Teams

Adelaide temp. hits 40ºC, its hottest Christmas on record since 1945

[Analysis and forecasting by FIRE-EARTH Science Team]

• Details are available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

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.

Highest March Temperatures Since Records Began

Global Temperature in March a record 1.22°C warmer 

The global temperature for March 2016 was the highest for this month in the 1880–2016 record, at 1.22°C (2.20°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.7°C (54.9°F), NOAA reported

• This tops the previous record for the combined average temperature for global land and ocean surfaces set in 2015 by 0.32°C (0.58°F).
• It’s also the highest monthly temperature departure among all 1,635 months on record.
• The nine highest monthly temperature departures in the record have all occurred in the past nine months.
• March 2016 also marks the 11^th consecutive month a monthly global temperature record has been broken, the longest such streak in NOAA’s 137 years of record keeping.

The average global temperature across land surfaces was 2.33°C (4.19°F) above the 20^th century average of 3.2°C (37.8°F), the highest March temperature on record, topping March record set in 2008 by 0.43°C (0.77°F).

• Most of northwestern Canada and Alaska, along with vast regions of northern and western Asia, observed temperatures at least 3°C (5°F) above their 1981–2010 average.
• The mean March temperature for Australia was the highest in the country’s 107-year period of record, at 1.70°C (3.06°F) higher than the 1961–1990 average.
• Arctic temperature over land for 66°–90°N overall was 3.34°C (6.01°F) higher than the 1981‐2010 average… the second highest March, 0.03°C (0.05°F) lower than the record set in 2011.
• Norway was 3.0°C (5.4°F) warmer than its 1961–1990 average.

March globally averaged SST remained 0.81°C (1.46°F) above the 20^th century monthly average… highest global ocean temperature for March in the 1880–2016 record, surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.18°C (0.32°F)

March 2016 Selected Climate Anomalies and Events Map

.

January – March period

January – March 2016 were the warmest such period on record (global land and SST), at 1.15°C (2.07°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.3°C (54.1°F), surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.28°C (0.50°F)

•  January–March 2016 marked the highest departure from average for any three-month period on record.
• This record has been broken for seven consecutive months, since the July–September 2015 period.

January–March SST was the highest on record, at 0.82°C (1.48°F) above average… and 0.21°C (0.38°F) above previous records set in 2010 and 2015.

The average land surface temperature was also record high for the period, at 2.05°C (3.69°F) above average, surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.47°C (0.85°F).

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for March 2016, published online April 2016, retrieved on April 21, 2016 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201603.

Global Temperature Analysis – February 2016

February 2016 the warmest ever: NOAA

The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces (SST) for February 2016 was the highest for February in the 137-year period of record, at 1.21°C (2.18°F) above the 20th century average of 12.1°C (53.9°F), surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.33°C (0.59°F).

It also surpassed the all-time monthly record set just two months ago in December 2015 by 0.09°C (0.16°F).

• The six highest monthly temperature departures on record have all occurred in the past six months.
• February 2016 also marks the 10th consecutive month a monthly global temperature record has been broken.

Global Land Temp

The average global temperature across land surfaces was 2.31°C (4.16°F) above the 20th century average of 3.2°C (37.8°F), the highest February temperature on record, surpassing the previous records set in 1998 and 2015 by 0.63°C (1.13°F) and surpassing the all-time single-month record set in March 2008 by 0.43°C (0.77°F).

SST

February’s globally-averaged sea surface temperature was 0.81°C (1.46°F) above the 20th century average of 15.9°C (60.6°F). This was the highest for February on record, surpassing the previous records set in 1998 and 2015 by 0.36°C (0.20°F), and was the sixth highest departure from average among all 1,632 months in the record.

• The nine highest monthly global ocean temperature departures have all occurred in the past nine months (since July 2015).

December–February

The December–February seasonal global temperature was 1.13°C (2.03°F) above the 20th century average of 12.1°C (53.8°F). This was the highest for December–February in the 1880–2016 record, surpassing the previous record set last year by 0.29°C (0.52°F). December 2015–February 2016 also marks the highest 3-month departure from average for any 3-month period on record, surpassing the previous record set last month, November 2015–January 2016, by 0.09°C (0.16°F).

• The globally-averaged temperature across land surfaces was also the highest on record for December–February, at 1.93°C (3.47°F) above the 20th century average of 3.2°C (37.8°F). This surpasses the previous record set last year by 0.46°C (0.83°F) and marks the highest 3-month departure from average for any 3-month period on record, surpassing the previous record of November 2015–January 2016 by 0.40°C (0.70°F).

• SST for the period was 0.84°C (1.51°F) above the 20th century average of 15.8°C (60.5°F), the highest for December–February on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2009/10 by 0.22°C (0.40°F).

The first two months of 2016 were the warmest such period on record across the world’s land and ocean surfaces, at 1.13°C (2.03°F) above the 20th century average of 12.1°C (53.8°F), surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.29°C (0.52°F).

The average SST for the year-to-date was the highest for January–February in the 137-year period of record, at 0.83°C (1.49°F) above average, surpassing the previous record set in 2010 by 0.22°C (0.40°F). The average land surface temperature was also record high, at 1.95°C (3.51°F) above average, surpassing the previous record of 2002 by 0.41°C (0.74°F).

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for February 2016, published online March 2016, retrieved on March 18, 2016 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201602.

January Breaks Global Temperature Records

January 2016 temperature breaks 2007 record —NOAA

The January 2016 globally-averaged temperature across land and ocean surfaces (SST) was 1.04°C (1.87°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.0°C (53.6°F), the highest for January in the 137-year period of record, breaking the previous record of 2007 by 0.16°C (0.29°F).

• This departure from average is the second highest among all months on record. December 2015 was the highest at 1.11°C (2.00°F) above average.
  • These two months are the only two to-date to surpass a monthly temperature departure of 1°C.

• January 2016 also marks the ninth consecutive month that the monthly temperature record has been broken and the 14^th consecutive month (since December 2014) that the monthly global temperature ranked among the three warmest for its respective month.

The global land surface temperature was 1.56°C (2.81°F) above average, the second highest on record for January, behind only 2007.

• Record warmth was observed across a swath of northern Siberia where temperatures rose at least 5°C (9°F) above the 1981–2010 monthly average.

• Parts of southeastern Asia, southwestern Asia and the Middle East, most of southern Africa, and areas of Central and South America, and Nearly all of the South American continent were much warmer than average.

• Northern Mexico, Scandinavia, and Central Asia around Mongolia were cooler than average, with a couple of areas that experienced much cooler-than-average temperatures, while parts of far western Russia and central Asia observed temperatures at least 5°C below average for the month.

SST

Record warmth was observed in all major ocean basins. The SST globally-averaged temperature departure of +0.86°C (+1.55°F) from the 20^th century average was the highest on record for January, surpassing the previous record of 2010 by 0.25°C (0.45°F).

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for January 2016, published online February 2016, retrieved on February 18, 2016 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201601.

2015 Earth’s Warmest Year by Widest Margin on Record

Warmest December makes 2015 warmest year on record: NOAA

The 2015 globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces was the highest on record since 1880. The December combined global land and ocean average surface temperature was the highest on record for any month in the 136-year record, reported NOAA.

Global highlights: Calendar Year 2015

The 2015 average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.62°F (0.90°C) above the 20th century average.

• It is the warmest among all 136 years in the 1880–2015 record.
  • Fourth time a global temperature record has been set this century.
  • Largest margin by which the annual global temperature record has been broken.
  • Ten months had record high temperatures for their respective months during the year.
  • The five highest monthly departures from average for any month on record all occurred during 2015.

• During 2015, the globally-averaged land surface temperature was 2.39°F (1.33°C) above the 20^th century average. This was the highest among all years in the 1880–2015 record, surpassing the previous record of 2007 by 0.45°F (0.25°C). This is the largest margin by which the annual global land temperature has been broken.

• During 2015, the globally-averaged sea surface temperature was 1.33°F (0.74°C) above the 20^th century average. This was the highest among all years in the 1880–2015 record, surpassing the previous record of last year by 0.20°F (0.11°C).

• The 1901-2000 average combined land and ocean annual temperature is 13.9°C (56.9°F), the annually averaged land temperature for the same period is 8.5°C (47.3°F), and the long-term annually averaged sea surface temperature is 16.1°C (60.9°F).

• Overall, the global annual temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.07°C (0.13°F) per decade since 1880 and at an average rate of 0.17°C (0.31°F) per decade since 1970.

Global highlights: December 2015

December average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 2.00°F (1.11°C) above the 20^th century average of 12.2°C (54.0°F). This was the highest for December in the 1880–2015 record.

• The globally-averaged land surface temperature was 3.40°F (1.89°C) above the 20^th century average. This was the highest for December in the 1880–2015 record.

• The globally-averaged sea surface temperature was 1.49°F (0.83°C) above the 20^th century average, also the highest for December in the 1880–2015 record.

Sixteen Warmest Years (1880–2015)

All but one of the 16 warmest year on record (1998 tied with 2009 for the 6th warmest) have occurred this century.

Source:
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for Annual 2015, published online January 2016, retrieved on January 20, 2016 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201513.

Significant Events – January 6, 2016

North Korea Announces ‘Successful’ H-Bomb Test

North Korea says it has successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, as earthquake monitoring centers reported a magnitude 5.1 earthquake near the main nuclear test site in Punggye-ri.

“The republic’s first hydrogen bomb test has been successfully performed at 10:00 am on January 6, 2016,” said the North Korean state TV.

16,000 Houses in England were flooded

About 16,000 houses in England were flooded during the wettest December on record, with entire communities swamped by rising waters, the UK Environment Secretary has said.

The numbers were not available for Scotland and Wales, as of posting.

December was wettest month for UK

December was the wettest month of any calendar month for the UK since  records began in 1910, according to data provided by the UK Met Office. Overall, 2015 was the sixth wettest year on record.

It was also the warmest December in 115 years, with  temperatures hovering around 7.9C (46F), typical for April or May, with the mean temperatures rising about 4C (7.2F) above the long-term average.

Scotland, Wales and the north west of England received record rain.

The head of the arboretum at Kew Gardens (SW London, UK) said the jumbling of seasons was causing problems in the natural world.

“The plants are really mixed up, they don’t know what season they’re in. They think spring is on the way, and they need to flower and grow leaves to make food.

“The seasons are normally quite short so they do it as soon as time allows.

“The downside is is that we could get a frost, and all these young leaves are very tender and not used to temperatures below freezing, and they won’t flower again in spring.

“And it’s a food source for insects that won’t be around when insects need it.”

Michigan Finally Declares a State of Emergency

Gov. Snyder has finally declared a state of emergency for Flint and Genesee County due to the contaminated drinking water crisis.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has confirmed it is investigating the contamination of drinking water supply in Flint.

The governor made the declaration “due to the ongoing health and safety issues caused by lead in the city of Flint’s drinking water,” said Snyder’s office in a news release.

“Genesee County declared an emergency on Monday and asked the state to do the same. The City of Flint has been under an emergency declaration since Dec. 14,” said a report.

 

2015 Could Become Warmest Year on Record

Three More Global Temperature Records Broken —NOAA

State of the Climate Report: November 2015

• November 2015 was warmest November on record Globally
• September–November was the warmest such period
• Year-to-date was record warm

The November average temperature across land and ocean surfaces (SST) rose  1.75°F (0.97°C) above the 20th century average of 12.9°C (55.2°F), the highest for November in the 1880–2015 record, surpassing the previous record set in 2013 by 0.27°F (0.15°C).

• November warmth broke a monthly global temperature record for the seventh consecutive month.

• The temperature departure from average for November is also the second highest among all months in the 136-year period of record. The highest departure of 0.99°C (1.79°F) occurred last month.

• Globally-averaged land surface temperature for November was 2.36°F (1.31°C) above the 20th century average.

• Globally-averaged SST was 1.51°F (0.84°C) above the 20th century average. This was the highest for November in the 1880–2015 record, surpassing the previous record set last year by 0.36°F (0.20°C).

• The average Arctic sea ice extent for November 2015 was 360,000 square miles (~ 930,000km² ), or 8.3 percent below the 1981–2010 average. This was the sixth smallest November extent since records began in 1979.

• Antarctic sea ice extent during November 2015 was 80,000 square miles (1.2 percent) above the 1981–2010 average, the 14th largest for November in the 37-year period of record.

November 2015 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies in degrees Celsius

Autumn Temperatures

Additionally, September, October, and November 2015 had the three highest monthly temperature departures on record.

Out of 1,630 monthly records (1880–2015 record):

• Eight months of 2015 are among the 10 highest monthly temperature departures from their respective averages.

• All 11 months of 2015  so far are among the 25 highest.

Selected Climate Events & Anomalies for November 2015

September–November  Temperature

The September–November seasonal temperature was 0.96°C (1.73°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.0°C (57.1°F). This marks the highest departure from average for the season in the 136-year period of record, surpassing the previous record set last year by 0.21°C (0.38°F).

The globally-averaged temperature across land surfaces was also the highest on record for September–November, at 1.27°C (2.29°F) above the 20^th century average of 9.1°C (48.3°F).

• Most of the Americas from Mexico through the northern half of South America were record warm, as were scattered regions across Africa, southern and southeastern Asia, and southern Australia.

• Across the world’s oceans, the September–November average sea surface temperature was 0.84°C (1.51°F) above the 20^th century average of 16.0°C (60.7°F), the highest for September–November on record, surpassing the previous record set last year by 0.27°C (0.15°F).

Year-to-date Temperature

The first 11 months of 2015 were the warmest such period on record across the world’s land and ocean surfaces, at 0.87°C (1.57°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.0°C (57.2°F), surpassing the previous record set last year by 0.14°C (0.25°F).

• Nine of the first eleven months in 2015 have been record warm for their respective months, with January second warmest for January and April third warmest.

• The December global temperature would have to be at least 0.81°C (1.46°F) below average—or 0.24°C (0.43°F) colder than the current record low December temperature of 1916—for 2015 to not become the warmest year in the 136-year period of record.

The average global sea surface temperature for the year-to-date was the highest for January–November in the 136-year period of record, at 0.72°C (1.30°F) above average, surpassing the previous record set last year by 0.09°C (0.16°F).

The average land surface temperature was also record high, at 1.27°C (2.29°F) above average, surpassing the previous record of 2010 by 0.15°C (0.27°F).

January–November 2015 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Percentiles

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for November 2015, published online December 2015, retrieved on December 18, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201511.

Second Warmest September on Record CONUS

CONUS September temperature 2.04°C above the 20^th century average

The September temperature for the contiguous U.S.  (CONUS) was 20.30°C (68.5°F), or 2.04°C (3.7°F) above the 20^th century average. Only September 1998 was warmer for the Lower 48. Record and near-record warmth spanned most of the country, with nine states in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southwest experiencing record warm, said NCDC. [Data collected since January 1895.]

U.S. climate highlights: September Temperature

• Record warmth in nine states — Connecticut, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wisconsin.
• Record and near-record warmth observed across most of the country.
• Thirty states had September temperatures much above average.

U.S. climate highlights: Year-to-date (January-September) Temperature

The year-to-date CONUS average temperature was 13.8°C (56.9°F), 1.1°C (1.9°F) above the 20th century average, the eighth warmest on record.

• Overall, 13 states, including Alaska, were much warmer than average.
• California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington were each record warm with temperatures more than 4.0°F above the 20th century average.

Precipitation  Anomalies

Precipitation totals in California, Connecticut, and Oregon were much below average. California had its fourth driest year-to-date receiving about half its average precipitation.

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: National Overview for September 2015, published online October 2015, retrieved on October 12, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/201509.

Major Heatwave Plagues Europe

Temperatures exceed 40°C in parts of Europe

Heat warnings and alerts are in effect throughout  Spain and Portugal after temperatures soared to as high as 44ºC (111ºF).

The hot weather has also impacted Belgium, France, Italy and the Netherlands, while UK had its hottest day in nearly a decade.

• England had its hottest July day on record, with temperatures reaching 36.7ºC (98ºF).
• Paris saw temperatures of up to 40ºC.
• Red Alert was issued for the southern city of Cordoba in Spain.

Heatwaves across Europe

In 2003, a heatwave resulted in excess mortality, causing  70,000 more deaths than usual across Europe, including up to 20,000 in France.

In 2010, the daytime temperatures in Moscow climbed over 38ºC (100°F) for the first time since record-keeping began in 1879. A total of about 56,000 more deaths were reported nationwide during July and August 2010, compared with the same period previous year.

U.S. High Temperature for Tuesday, June 30, 2015

In the US high temperature of 52ºC (125ºF) was registered at Death Valley (CA), while the lowest temperature for Wednesday, July 1, 2015 was 0.6ºC (33ºF) at Tomahawk, WI

Record winter warmth in the U.S. West

Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and Washington experience warmest winter on record: NWS

California also broke the winter (December 2014-February 2015) temperature topping the previous seasonal record set just last year by 1.5°F.

An additional five states—Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Wyoming—had one of their 10 warmest winters on record.

The western U.S. was warmer than average, with eight states also recording a top 10 warm February.

In contrast, many northeastern states experienced their second coldest temperatures on record, with  temperatures plummeting to record cold in several individual cities.

Record snowfalls were widespread in the East, while record warmth engulfed much of the West, said NWS.

The winter contiguous U.S. temperature was 34.3°F, 2.1°F above the 20^th century average, but the February temperature was 33.1°F, 0.7°F below the 20^th century average, ranking near the median value for February in the 121-year period of record*.

The February Lower 48 precipitation total was 1.70 inches, 0.43 inch below average, and marked the 20^th driest on record. The winter precipitation total was 6.12 inches, 0.67 inch below average, and the 27^th driest. Despite near-normal precipitation in February, long-term drought concerns continue in the West, compounded by a lack of mountain snowpack.

NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: National Overview for February 2015, published online March 2015, retrieved on March 8, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/2015/2.

2014 U.S. Temperature Tops 20th-Century Average (Again)

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
.

2014 U.S. temperature tops 20^th-century average for the 18^th consecutive year

Contiguous U.S. experienced its 2nd warmest December on record, according to the State of the Climate Summary Information released by NOAA National Climatic Data Center.

Highlights from the Summary Report

• During December, the average contiguous U.S. temperature was 37.1°F, 4.5°F above the 20^th century average.
• Eight weather and climate disasters exceeded $1 billion in damages each and resulted in 53 fatalities. The events included the western U.S. drought, the Michigan & Northeast flooding event, five severe storm events, and one winter storm event.
• 2014 annual average contiguous U.S. temperature was 52.6°F, 0.5°F above the 20^th century average.
• The temperature exceeded the 20^th Century average for the 18^th consecutive year.
• The average contiguous U.S. precipitation was 30.76 inches, 0.82 inch above average.

Damage from eight weather and climate disasters in U.S. exceeded $1 billion each

In 2014, there were 8 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States. These events included a drought event, a flooding event, 5 severe storm events, and a winter storm event. Overall, these events resulted in the deaths of 53 people and had significant economic effects on the areas impacted. Further cost data and figures on individual events in 2014 will be announced in mid-2015. The U.S. has sustained 178 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1 billion (including CPI adjustment to 2014). The total cost of these 178 events exceeds $1 trillion. Source: NOAA/NCDC.

NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: National Overview for December 2014, published online January 2015, retrieved on January 10, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/2014/12.

Related Links (Most Recent)

• Year-to-Date Global Temperature Highest on Record December 16, 2014
• 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

 

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

Heatwaves, Sandstorms Plague China

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
HEATWAVES
MAJOR SANDSTORMS
SCENARIOS 777, 067
.

Record Temperatures Broil North China

Weather authorities in Hebei Province and cities of Beijing and Tianjin have issued a “Yellow Alert for High Temperatures,” the third highest alert level in the country, as  record-shattering heat in parts of northern China soared to about 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees).

People have been advised to limit their outdoor activities to avoid heatstroke, while the National Center for Disease Control has warned the rising temperatures could help the spread of infections, said a report.

“The national weather forecaster predicts that the region’s heatwave will continue for another three days.”

The latest rounds of heatwave have been plaguing different parts of China (and India) since late April.

At least 11 provinces, cities and regions have reported temperatures exceeding 35°C  this week, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province, said the report.

Other affected areas include southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and southern Sichuan Province.

Recurring Sandstorms

Meanwhile, recurring dust and sandstorms have hit multiple parts of China since early April.

The worst affected areas  include Beijing, northwest China’s Shaanxi, neighboring SHANXI, and Qinghai provinces, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Gansu Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The National Center for Performing Arts, one of Beijing’s landmarks, is shrouded in sand and dust, May 27, 2014. (Xinhua/Wang Huaigui)

The strongest sandstorm in decades  hit parts of Gansu province last month, reducing visibility to less than 20 meters .

THIS IS IT FOLKS!

Major Heatwave Enters 5th Day in Australia

Perth experiences earliest spell of five 35-degree-plus days in 71 years

A major  heatwave is shifting eastwards, pushing the mercury up to 40ºC in Adelaide by Thursday, and into the 30s for Sydney by Friday, local meteorologists forecast.

[Sydney’s average temperatures for December is 25.2ºC.]

Perth and surrounding areas were put on a severe fire danger alert Monday morning amid hot, dry and windy conditions, following a sweltering weekend, said a report.

The alert followed a large bush fire in the Shire of Toodyay, which needed more than 170 fire crews to control, as the blaze edged menacingly towards two housing estates. The fire had consumed more than 270 hectares, as of posting.

Rows of baled hay went up in flames most probably due to spontaneous combustion in Toodyay farmland on Sunday. Photo credit: Nine News Perth

Monday is the 5th day of a major heatwave which has pushed temperature highs above 40ºC.

On Saturday it reached 40.4ºC in Perth, and peaked at 37ºC Sunday. Parts of the eastern metropolitan Perth could see the temperature reaching 41ºC today.

In November, Perth recorded its hottest spring in 116 years, with overall average of 18.8ºC

Related Links

• BACK-TO-BACK Australian Disasters

Deadly July Heat

July heat shattered tens of thousands of temperature records, killed scores of people worldwide

United States

A total of 649 U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records were set (404 broken, and 245 tied) in July this year, according to the data provided by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

Additionally, 9 All-Time Highest Max Temperature Records were set in the United States (1 broken, 8 tied).

July 2013 was both the warmest July and the warmest month on record in Elko, NV since records began in 1888, said NWS.

The average temperature in Elko during July 2013 was 76.8 degrees. This is the warmest july average temperature, and the warmest calendar month average temperature, ever recorded in Elko. The previous record was 75.9 degrees in July 1985.

U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records set in July 2013: 404 (Broken) + 245 (Tied) = 649 Total.  NOT included on this map are 11 locations in Hawaii and Alaska.

July heat helped wildfires in 13 states scorch up to  2,000 square miles, destroy hundreds of homes, and kill at least 22 people including 20 fire crews.

The latest fatality occurred when a tree fell on contract tree fellers who were trying to contain a lightning-sparked fire in the Deschutes National Forest in Oregon, killing one person and injuring another.

CONTINUED…

U.S. Daily Max Temp. Records Broken or Tied

566 Daily highest max temperature records broken or tied, July 1 to 20

During the first 20 days of July this year, at least 566 daily highest maximum temperature records were broken or tied, according to National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

• The total includes 359  records broken and 207  tied.

U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records set July 1- 20, 2013. Source: NOAA/ NCDC

Locations not shown on the Map

• Record Broken: CIRCLE HOT SPRINGS YUKON-KOYUKUK, AK – new daily record of 87.1°F broke old daily record of 82.9°F set in 1960

• Record Tied: WAIMANALO EXP F 795.1 HONOLULU, HI – tied with 2004 record of 86.0°F

Records broken by at least 10.0°F 

• NAMPA SUGAR FACTORY, CANYON, ID  – new record of 109.0°F broke old record set in 2006 by 10.9°F

• ELK RIVER,  CLEARWATER,  ID – new record of 100.9°F broke old record set in 1987 by 10.9°F

• ROSS DAM,  WHATCOM,  WA – new record of 100.0°F broke old record set in 2006 by 10.9°F

HOTTEST June on record for Tucson, AZ

HOTTEST June and first month on record with triple digit highs each day

Tucson also saw Warmest March thru June period on record: NWS

One year after recording the 5th hottest June on record, Tucsonans’ lived through the HOTTEST June on record where for the first time on record, every day recorded a triple digit high. The closest a month came to achieving this feat was August 1994 when 30 days recorded triple digit highs.

The monthly average temperature of 89.4° made it the HOTTEST June on record, breaking the previous monthly record of 89.2° from 1994. Temperature extremes for the month ranged from a high of 112° on the 29th to a low of 68° on the 6th.

On June 28, 2013, the maximum temperature in Maricopa County reached 118.9 degrees breaking the previous record by  2.8 degrees.

June 2013 Daily High and Low Temperature Departures from Normal for Tucson, Arizona. Source: NWS

The historical progression of the record for number of consecutive days that Tucson has hit 100 degrees or greater since 1895. Source: NWS

Death Valley: The Hottest Place on Earth

One hundred years ago today, on July 10th, 1913 the weather observer at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley, California recorded a high temperature of 134°F (56.7°C). This is the highest reliably recorded air temperature on Earth.

National High and Low Temperature (for the contiguous United States) NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD Issued 8 pm EDT Tuesday, July 9, 2013

High Temperature for Tuesday, July 9, 2013
(as received by 8 pm EDT July 9)
123ºF recorded  at Death Valley, CA

Low Temperature for Tuesday, July 9, 2013
(as received by 8 pm EDT July 9)
34ºF recorded at Stanley, ID

Related Links

• Governor Brewer Requests Major Disaster Declaration for Yarnell Hill Fire

 

Wildfire Threatens 4,000 Houses on SoCal Coast

Springs Fire consumes about 20,000 acres, dozens of buildings in Ventura County

More than 1,000 fire crews are tackling the massive blaze in Ventura County, which threatens about 4,000 houses, hundreds of businesses and Point Mugu U.S. Naval Air Station, as authorities issue new evacuation orders for thousands of residents.

• Officials said flames have crept within 100 feet of homes in Hidden Valley as the fire veered dangerously close to luxury homes and ranches in the area.
• Residents were ordered to evacuate about  1250 houses in Hidden Valley and adjacent canyon roads, southeast of Camarillo, including parts of Newbury Park, Sycamore Canyon, Deer Canyon, Brome Ranch, La Jolla Canyon, Yerba Buena and several other communities, Ventura County fire officials said.
• Fire officials have warned the locals to avoid inhaling the smoke,  especially because it contains dangerous chemical fumes released into the air after highly toxic pesticides caught fire at an agricultural storage facility in Laguna Farms.
• A sudden and ferocious start to a California fire season has seen dozens of blazes igniting in California.
• Red Flag Warning were in effect for two large regions in Northern and Southern California, as of posting.
• Humidity remained in single digits for the Red Flag Warning areas.
• Fire officials have compared the moisture levels in the hillsides vegetation to the norm for the month of August.
• The temperature in Camarillo (Ventura County) reached a record high of 96ºF (36ºC) at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, the National Weather Service reported.
• California State Uni at Channel Islands campus, including student dorm, remained closed for a second day on Friday.

US Weather Hazards Map – May 4, 2013. Source: NWS

Related Links

• Thousands Flee California Wildfires  May 3, 2013
• Drought Disaster Spreads to Counties in 5 States May 2, 2013
• U-S Drought 2013: Fueled by Heat from Hell? January 31, 2013 [FIRE-EARTH Forecast]
• US: Drought Disaster 2013 [Index Page]

Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population

Deadly storms pummel mid-Atlantic, knock out power to 3 million customers

A day of record-setting heat spawned deadly storms across Washington metropolitan area, leaving at least 7 people dead, and millions without power.

The storms cut power to about 3 million customers, or an estimated 10 million people, across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and the two Virginias.

West Virginia Gov. Tomblin has declared a state of emergency after storm damage which left more than half a million customers in 27 counties without power.

“The damage from today’s storms is widespread and in many places severe,” Tomblin said.

Record Breaking Heat

More than 20 million people were in areas under excessive heat warnings and almost a third of the population  in areas under heat advisories.

• At least 1,000 high temperature records have been broken across the country in recent days.

• The Washington area on Friday broke a record high temperature set 8 decades ago.  The early afternoon temperature at Washington Reagan National Airport rose to 104 degrees (40ºC) smashing the record 101 degrees set in 1934, NWS reported.

• Norton, Kansas, was the hottest location in the U.S. with 118 degrees (47.8ºC), NCDC reported. Some 22 other locations across the state topped 110 degrees on Thursday.

• Columbia, South Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee reached all-time records of 109 degrees  (42.8ºC) on Friday

• Atlanta, Georgia and Louisville, Kentucky also saw temperature soaring to 104ºF (40ºC)

• In addition to the fatalities caused by wildfires, which were intensified by the heat, at least a dozen people have died directly as a result of the intense heat including 3 children, two in Tennessee and a third in Missouri.

High Temperature Map of the U.S.

More than 1,000 high temperature records have been broken across the country in the last 7 days.

Daily Maximum Heat Index – Forecast

Indiana.  Oppressive heat is churning up storms across central Indiana with the entire region placed under a severe thunderstorm watch.

• Storms knocked out power to at least 100,000 customers.
• A record high temperature of 104 degrees was recorded at Indianapolis International Airport on Thursday, the highest ever in the month of June in the city, a report said.

Earlier, NWS issued Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for the region

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES PER
HOUR...LARGE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.

Related Links

• Severe Thunderstorm Warning
• Excessive Heat Warning
• Severe Thunderstorm Watch
• Excessive Heat Watch