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.

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.

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.

Ten Billion-Dollar Plus Weather, Climate Disasters Hit U.S. in 2015

Record December elevated 2015 to 2^nd warmest year for US 48  —NOAA

The 2015 annual average U.S. temperature was 54.4°F (12.4°C), 2.4°F above the 20^th century average, the second warmest year on record.

• Warmest year for U.S. was  2012  with an average temperature of 55.3°F.
• 2015 was the 19^th consecutive year the annual average temperature exceeded the 20^th century average.

The average contiguous U.S. precipitation was 34.47 inches (87.55cm), 4.53 inches above average, and ranked as the third wettest year in the 121-year period of record.

• Only 1973 and 1983 were wetter.
• The national drought footprint shrank about 10 percent last year.

Ten weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each occurred  across the United States in 2015. These events included

• Drought (1 event)
• Flooding (2)
• Severe storms (5)
• Wildfire (1)
• Winter Storm (1)

The 1980–2015 annual average is 5.2 events (CPI-adjusted); the annual average for the most recent 5 years (2011–2015) is 10.8 events (CPI-adjusted), said NCDC/NOAA.

Additionally, the U.S. experienced five distinct disaster event types in 2015. It is more common to observe three or four disaster event types in a given year. Five or more disaster event types exceeding $1 billion in the same year occurs less frequently (i.e., 2015, 2011, 2008, 1998, 1994 and 1989).

U.S. climate highlights: 2015

• Florida, Montana, Oregon and Washington were record warm.
• Alaska, California, and Idaho had their second warmest year.
• Twenty-one other states were much warmer than average.
• 14 States were much wetter than average.
• Oklahoma and Texas were record wet for the year, and became drought free for the first time since 2010.
• The U.S. Climate Extremes Index (USCEI) for 2015 was 70 percent above average, ranking as the fourth highest annual USCEI in the 106-year record and highest since 2012.

U.S. climate highlights: December 2015

• December 2015 was record warm for the contiguous U.S., with a temperature of 38.6°F, 6.0°F above the 20^th century average.
  • Previous record of 37.7°F was set in 1939.
  • 29 Eastern states had the warmest December on record.
  • No state was record cold.
• The December precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. was 3.93 inches, 1.58 inches above the 20^th century average, ranking as the wettest December on record.
  • Previous record of 3.76 inches was set in 1982.
  • Above-average precipitation occurred across the country
  • 23 States were much wetter than average.
  • Iowa and Wisconsin had a record wet December.

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: National Overview for December 2015, published online January 2016, retrieved on January 9, 2016 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/201512.

 

July Warmest Month Ever Recorded Globally

2015 the hottest year on record (so far)

Global: The combined average temperature over land and ocean surfaces for July 2015 was the highest since record-keeping began 136 years ago. At 0.81°C (1.46°F) above the 20th century average of 15.8°C (60.4°F), it surpassed the previous record set in July 1998 by 0.08°C (0.14°F), said NOAA.

As July is climatologically the warmest month of the year globally, this monthly global temperature of 16.61°C (61.86°F) was also the highest among all 1627 months in the record that began in January 1880. The July temperature is currently increasing at an average rate of 0.65°C (1.17°F) per century.

• July average temperature across global land surfaces was 0.96°C (1.73°F) above the 20^th century average, making it the sixth warmest July on record.

• Global sea surface temperature in July was 0.75°C (1.35°F) above the 20^th century average of 16.4°C (61.5°F), the highest departure not only for July, but for any month on record. The 10 highest monthly departures from average for the oceans have all occurred in the past 16 months (since April 2014).

The first seven months of 2015 were the warmest such period on record for global land and ocean surfaces, at 0.85°C (1.53°F) above the 20^th century average, surpassing the previous record set in 2010 by 0.09°C (0.16°F).

• Five months this year, including the past three, have been record warm for their respective months. January was the second warmest January on record and April third warmest.

• The average global sea surface temperature of +0.67°C (+1.21°F) for the year-to-date was the highest for January–July in the 136-year period of record, surpassing the previous record of 2010 by 0.06°C (0.11°F). The average land surface temperature of +1.34°C (+2.41°F) was also the highest on record, surpassing the previous record of 2007 by 0.15°C (0.27°F).

Nine of the 10 warmest months since records began in 1880 (1,627 months ago) have occurred since 2005, reported NOAA.

Selected National Temperature Highlights

The UK experienced its warmest July day ever on July 1, 2015 when temperatures climbed to 36.7°C near London, UK Met Office reported.

Austria recorded its hottest July since national records began in 1767. The average temperature was 3.0°C (5.0°F) higher than the 1981–2010 average, beating the previous record of +2.7°C (+4.9°F) set in 2006.

• Temperature reached a high of 38.2°C (100.8°F) in Innsbruck, highest in recorded history, on July 7^th.

France had its third warmest July in its 116-year period of record, with the overall temperature climbing 2.1°C (3.8°F) above the 1981–2010 average. Localized departures of more than 4°C (7°F) were recorded in the Massif Central to the North East and the Alps, said MeteoFrance.

Middle East experienced one of the most extreme heat indices ever recorded anywhere on July 31^st, due to a high pressure dome that resided over the region.  The city of Bandar Mahshahr, Iran, recorded the air temperature of 46°C (115°F) together with a dew point of 32°C (90°F) resulting in a heat index of 74°C (165°F). The highest recorded heat index of 81°C (178°F) was in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on July 8^th, 2003.

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for July 2015, published online August 2015, retrieved on August 20, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201507.

 

Earth’s Fever Continues: Warmest May on Record

Year-to-date also record warm: Report

The globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for May 2015 was 15.67°C (60.17°F), the highest for the month since record keeping began in 1880. Globally averaged temperature for March–May and the year-to-date (January–May) were also record highs, according to the State of the Climate Report.

• The combined average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces for May was 0.87°C (1.57°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.8°C (58.6°F)—the highest for May in the 136-year period of record, topping the previous record set in 2014 by 0.08°C (0.14°F).

• The globally-averaged sea surface temperature was 0.72°C (1.30°F) above the 20^th century average of 16.3°C (61.3°F)—the highest ever recorded for the month, topping record set in 2014 by 0.07°C (0.13°F).

• The average global temperature across land surfaces was 1.28°C (2.30°F) above the 20^th century average of 11.1°C (52.0°F), tying with 2012 as the highest May temperature on record.

• The average Arctic sea ice extent for May was about 1.89 million km² (730,000 square miles), or 5.5 percent below the 1981–2010 average, making it the third smallest May extent since records began in 1979.  [The smallest sea ice extent occurred in May 2004, when the cover shrank to about 1.82million km² (703,000 square miles,) said the report

• Antarctic sea ice during May was about 1.3 million km² (500,000 square miles), or 12.1 percent above the 1981–2010 average. The May extent was the largest Antarctic sea ice extent on record, exceeding the previous record set in 2014 by about 52,000km² (20,000 square miles).

January – May 2015

• The first five months of 2015 were the warmest such period on record across the world’s land and ocean surfaces, at 0.85°C (1.53°F) above the 20^th century average, surpassing the previous record set in 2010 by 0.09°C (0.16°F).

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for May 2015, published online June 2015, retrieved on June 19, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201505.

January–April Global Temperature Highest Ever Recorded

Global temperature rises to a new record across land and ocean surfaces: Report

During January–April 2015, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 0.80°C (1.44°F) above the 20th century average—the highest for the period since 1880, NCDC reported.

Global highlights: Year-to-date (January–April 2015)

• The January–April globally-averaged land surface temperature was 1.48°C  (2.66°F) above the 20^th century average—the highest for the period since records began in 1880.
• The globally-averaged sea surface temperature for the period was 0.55°C (0.99°F) above the 20^th century average, tying  with 2010 as the second highest for January–April on record, trailing 1998 by 0.04°F (0.02°C).

Global highlights: April 2015

• The April globally-averaged sea surface temperature (SST) was 0.60°C (1.08°F) above the 20th century average—the highest for April ever recorded, said NCDC.
• April’s average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 0.74°C (1.33°F) above the 20^th century average, making it the fourth highest for April on record.
• The April globally-averaged land surface temperature was 1.11°C (2.00°F) above the 20^th century average, making it the 10^th highest for April in the 1880–2015 record.

Polar Icecaps

• The average Arctic sea ice extent for April was more than 800,000 square kilometers ( 310,000 square miles) about 5.5 percent below the 1981–2010 average, or the second smallest April extent since records began in 1979, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) reported. The 2007 April extent was 78,000 square kilometers (30,000 square miles) smaller.
• Antarctic sea ice in April was 1,657,000 square kilometers (640,000 square miles) about 22.4 percent above the 1981–2010 average, making it the largest April Antarctic sea ice extent on record, surpassing the previous record of 2014 by 26,000 square kilometers (10,000 square miles).

Source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for April 2015, published online May 2015, retrieved on May 20, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201504.

Related Links

• Warmest Ever: March and Q1, 2015 April 18, 2015

Warmest Ever: March and Q1, 2015

Record low Arctic sea ice extent for March

Globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces (SST) for March 2015 was the highest for the month since record keeping began 135 years ago. The average temperature was also record high for the first quarter of the year, said the State of the Climate report.

Global Highlights: March 2015

• Globally averaged temperature for land and SST was 1.53°F (0.85°C) above the 20th century average, the highest for March in the 1880–2015 record, surpassing the previous record of 2010 by 0.09°F (0.05°C).
  • Globally-averaged land surface temperature was 2.97°F (1.65°C) above  average, tied  with 1990 as the second highest for the month on record.
  • SST was 0.99°F (0.55°C) above average, third highest ever recorded for March (1880–2015).
• The average Arctic sea ice extent for March was 430,000 square miles (7.2 percent) below the 1981–2010 average—the smallest March extent since records began in 1979 (NSIDC).
• Antarctic sea ice during March was 420,000 square miles (24.3 percent) above the 1981–2010 average— second largest March Antarctic sea ice extent on record.
  • The record largest March Antarctic sea ice extent occurred in 2008 and was 100,000 square miles larger than the March 2015 extent. [1 square mile ~ 2.6km²]

March 2015 Selected Climate Anomalies and Events Map (NOAA)

Global highlights: Year-to-date (January–March 2015)

• Globally averaged temperature for land and SST was 1.48°F (0.82°C) above the 20^th century average, the highest for the first quarter in the 1880–2015 record, surpassing the previous record of 2002 by 0.09°F (0.05°C).
• Globally-averaged land surface temperature was 2.86°F (1.59°C) above the 20^th century average, the highest for January–March on record, surpassing the previous record of 2002 by 0.09°F (0.05°C)
• SST for Q1 was 0.95°F (0.53°C) above the 20^th century average, the third highest for January–March in the 1880–2015 record.

NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for March 2015, published online April 2015, retrieved on April 18, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2015/03.

December–February Warmest on Record

February 2015 second warmest February on record: NOAA

• December–February warmest on record
• February 2015 second warmest February on record
• February Arctic sea ice extent third smallest on record

Globally averaged temperatures were the highest on record for both the year-to-date (January–February) and seasonal (December–February) periods, said NOAA in its State of the Climate report.

Meantime, February’s average global temperature, land and ocean surfaces combined, was the second highest in the 1880-2015 record, according to the report.

Global highlights: February 2015

• February’s  average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was  0.82°C (1.48°F) above the 20th century average.
• The globally-averaged land surface temperature was 1.68°C (3.02°F) above the 20th century average. This was also the second highest for February in the 1880–2015 record. The highest temperature occurred in 2002, at 1.70°C (3.06°F) above average.
• February’s globally-averaged sea surface temperature (SST) was 0.51°C (0.92°F) above the 20th century average of 15.9°C (60.6°F). This was the third highest for February in the 136-year record period.
• The average Arctic sea ice extent was 600,000 square kilometers  (370,000 square miles), or 6.2 percent below the 1981–2010 average, or the third smallest February extent since records began in 1979.
• Antarctic sea ice during February was 400,000 square kilometers (250,000 square miles), or  21.4 percent above the 1981–2010 average. This was the sixth largest February Antarctic sea ice extent on record but smallest since 2012.

Global highlights: December–February 2015

• Average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 0.79°C (1.42°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.1°C (53.8°F) during December–February, the highest for that period in the 1880–2015 record ( previous record set in 2007, ).
• Globally-averaged land surface temperature was 1.46°C (2.63°F) above the 20^th century average of 8.1°C (46.4°F), tying with 2007 as the highest for the period.
• Globally-averaged SST was 0.54°C (0.97°F ) above the 20^th century average, or third highest for the period.

Global highlights: Year-to-date (January–February 2015)

• Average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was the highest for the first two months of 2015 at 0.79°C  (1.42°F) above the 20^th century average,  surpassing the previous records of 2002 and 2007 by 0.04°C  (0.07°F).
• The globally-averaged land surface temperature was 1.53°C  (2.75°F) above the 20^th century average, or the second highest for the period. The highest temperature occurred in 2002 (1.55°C or 2.79°F above average).
• SST global average was 0.52°C (0.94°F) above the 20^th century average, or the third highest for the two-month period in the 1880–2015 record.

Source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for February 2015, published online March 2015, retrieved on March 21, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2015/02

January 2015 Second Warmest on Record

For the Record:

Arctic sea ice extent for January 6.3 percent below 1981–2010 average

The globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces last month was 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20^th century average, the second highest for January since record keeping began in 1880, said the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

[The warmest January on record was in 2007, at 1.55°F (0.86°C) above average.]

Other Global Highlights:

• The globally-averaged land surface temperature was 2.57°F (1.43°C) above the 20^th century average, making it also the second highest on record for January. The warmest January was in 2007, at 3.31°F (1.84°C) above average, while sea surface temperature (SST) was 0.95°F (0.53°C) above average— the third highest for January.

• The average Arctic sea ice extent for January was just over 906,000km² (350,000 square miles) or 6.3 percent below the 1981–2010 average, making it the third smallest January extent since records began in 1979.

• Antarctic sea ice during January was 2,300,000km² (890,000 square miles), or 44.6 percent above the 1981–2010 average, making it the largest January extent on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2008 by 570,000km² (220,000 square miles) or 33 percent.

Selected Significant Climate Anomalies and Events – January 2015

NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for January 2015, published online February 2015, retrieved on February 21, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2015/1.

2014 Hottest Year on Record: NOAA

UPDATED January 17, 2014

2014 Hottest year on record at 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20th century average

The December 2014 average combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the highest on record since record-keeping began 135 years ago, at 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20th century average of 12.2°C (54.0°F), making 2014 the warmest year on record, according to the latest State of the Climate report released by NCDC/NOAA.

January–December 2014 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies in degrees Celsius

 

Selected Highlights

• The December 2014 globally-averaged temperature for land and ocean surfaces combined was 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.2°C (54.0°F), the highest on record for December since records began in 1880.
• The January–December temperatures were warmer than average across the vast majority of the globe during 2014, resulting in  record warmth for 2014, at 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20^th century average.
• The 2014 average global ocean surface temperature was also the highest on record, at 0.55°C (0.99°F) above average.
• The highest temperature anomalies (more than 5°C / 9°F above the 1981–2010 average) were observed in parts of Alaska and Siberia.

December 2014 Selected Climate Anomalies and Events Map

Source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for December 2014, published online January 2015, retrieved on January 16, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/12.

The latest data show that 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have occurred this century.

2001-2010 was the warmest decade on record.

The Atmospheric Temperatures

Two different analyses examined NOAA satellite-based data records for the lower and middle troposphere and the lower stratosphere.

• The 2014 temperature for the lower troposphere (roughly the lowest five miles of the atmosphere) was third highest in the 1979-2014 record, at 0.50°F (0.28°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH), and sixth highest on record, at 0.29°F (0.16°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS).
• The 2014 temperature for the mid-troposphere (roughly two miles to six miles above the surface) was third highest in the 1979–2014 record, at 0.32°F (0.18°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by UAH, and sixth highest on record, at 0.25°F (0.14°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by RSS.
• The temperature for the lower stratosphere (roughly 10 miles to 13 miles above the surface) was 13^th lowest in the 1979–2014 record, at 0.56°F (0.31°C) below the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by UAH, and also 13^th lowest on record, at 0.41°F (0.23°C) below the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by RSS. The stratospheric temperature is decreasing on average while the lower and middle troposphere temperatures are increasing on average, consistent with expectations in a greenhouse-warmed world. [NOAH]
  

Related Links

• 2014 U.S. Temperature Tops 20th-Century Average (Again) January 10, 2015
• Year-to-Date Global Temperature Highest on Record December 16, 2014

2012 one of 10 warmest years on record globally

The following excerpts are from ‘State of the Climate in 2012,’ a 2-dimentional annual report prepared by the American Meteorological Society (AMS), with researchers from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC acting as lead editors.

.

Earth more rapidly warming since 1970: Report

Since 1976, the earth has experienced annual temperatures above the long-term average. The rate of warming is 0.06°C (0.11°F) per decade since 1880 and a more rapid 0.16°C (0.28°F) per decade since 1970, according to the 2012 annual report from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center.

Earth’s average annual surface temperature is higher today than it was when record keeping began more than a century ago. The red line shows how far above or below the 1981–2010 average (dashed line at zero) the combined land and ocean temperature has been each year since 1880. The data shown are from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, one of several temperature analyses included in the State of the Climate in 2012, all of which show a similar warming trend. Graph adapted from Figure 2.1, in BAMS State of the Climate in 2012.

The largest of warm anomalies in 2012 were observed across the Northern Hemisphere higher latitudes: The United States,  Canada, southern Europe, western Russia and the Russian Far East, said the report.

Sea levels reached record highs in 2012. Globally, sea level has been increasing at an average rate of 3.2 ± 0.4 mm per year over the past two decades.

The global surface temperature ranked among the top 10 warmest years on record. Over land and ocean combined, 2012 was between 0.14° and 0.17° Celsius (0.25°and 0.31° Fahrenheit) above the 1981–2010 average, depending on the analysis. The globally averaged annual temperature over land was 0.24°–0.29°C (0.43°-0.52°F) above average. And averaged globally, the 2012 ocean temperature was 0.10°–0.14°C (0.18°-0.25°F) above average. [NOAA]

Surface temperatures in 2012 compared to the 1981-2010 average. NOAA map by Dan Pisut, NOAA Environmental Visualization Lab, based on based on Merged Land and Ocean Surface Temperature data from the National Climatic Data Center. Full report is posted HERE.

Related Links [External]

• State of the Climate: 2011 Global Surface Temperature
• Past Three Decades Warmest on Record

U.S. Warmer, Drier in March

Despite the appearances ‘U.S. Averaged Warmer-than-Normal, Drier-than-Normal in March’

According to NOAA’s State of the Climate report the March 2010 average temperature for the contiguous United States was warmer than average.

Thirteen states recorded an average temperature that was among their 10 warmest ever for March:

• Rhode Island experienced its warmest March on record;
• Maine its second warmest for the month
• New Hampshire its third warmest

Again, despite the appearances, average precipitation for the U.S. was below normal, but heavy rainfall in parts of the Northeast set March records.

NOAA’s monthly temperature analysis are based on data recorded since 1895.

U.S. Temperature Highlights

Source: National Climatic Data Center/ NESDIS/NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

Temperature Highlights for March 2010

• March temperature average across the contiguous United States was 44.4 degrees F, some 1.9 degrees F above the long-term average. “However, several storms developed along the Atlantic Coast, bringing below-normal temperatures to the South and Southeast, while bringing warm and wet weather to the Northeast and Midwest regions (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin).”
• Thirteen states averaged temperature among their 10 warmest for March.
• Gulf Coast states, New Mexico, Georgia and South Carolina experienced cooler-than-normal temperatures. Florida recorded its fourth coolest March.
• January-March period
  • Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire: Warmest ever
  • Florida: Coldest ever
  • Louisiana: Second coldest
  • Mississippi and Alabama : Third coldest

U.S. Precipitation Highlights

Source: National Climatic Data Center/ NESDIS/NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

Precipitation Highlights for March 2010

• Average March precipitation  across the contiguous United States fell below the long-term mean (LTM). The month’s national average fell 0.24 inches below the LTM of 2.16 inches. “The Northeast was above-normal, while much of the interior United States was below-normal. All other regions were near normal.”
• January – March period
  • Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey:  Wettest on record
  • Delaware: Second wettest on record
  • Vermont:  Fifth wettest
  • Twenty other states:  Precipitation ranked among the top 10 wettest.
  • Michigan:  Driest ever January-March period
  • Wisconsin: Fourth driest
  • Montana and Wyoming: Sixth driest.

Other Highlights

• The preliminary tornado count for March was 36 – joint  4th quietest March since reliable records began in 1950,  NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center said.
• Mid-March ice coverage over the Great Lakes was at a record low, covering only 3.5 percent of the Lakes’ surface, the Canadian Ice Service said.The average ice extent for the period was estimated at 31 percent of the Lakes’ surface. The records started in 1973.
• Drought on March 30 covered about 9.0 percent of the United States, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Click image to enlarge.

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