Spring and January-May also post record breaking temps: NOAA
June 2010 could also prove be the warmest on record, by a large margin: Fire Earth
The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the warmest on record for May, March-May (Northern Hemisphere spring-Southern Hemisphere autumn), and the period January-May, NOAA reported. Worldwide average land surface temperature for May and March-May was the warmest on record while the global ocean surface temperatures for both May and March-May were second warmest on record, behind 1998.
Global Temp Highlights: May 2010
- The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for May was 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20th century average of 14.8°C (58.6°F).
- Land surface temperature was the warmest on record, 1.04°C (1.87°F) higher than 20th century average of 11.1°C (52.0°F).
- Ocean temperature was the second warmest on record (after 1998) at 16.3°C (61.3°F), 0.99°F (0.55°C) above the 20th century average.
- The warmest temperature anomalies occurred in eastern North America, eastern Brazil, Eastern Europe, southern Asia, eastern Russia, and equatorial Africa.
- The Chinese province of Yunnan had its warmest May since 1951.
- Many locations in Ontario, Canada had their warmest May on record.
- Anomalously cool conditions were present across western North America, northern Argentina, interior Asia, and Western Europe. Germany had its coolest May since 1991 and its 12th coolest May on record.
Temperature anomalies May 2010. Source NOAA. Click image to enlarge.
Global Highlights – March-May 2010
- The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for the March-May period was 14.4°C (58.0°F), the warmest such period on record, and 1.31°F (0.73°C) above the 20th century average of 56.7°F (13.7°C).
- Global land surface temperature for March-May was the warmest on record at 1.22°C (2.20°F) above the 20th century average of 8.1°C (46.4 °F).
- Global ocean surface temperature was the second warmest March-May on record (behind 1998) at 0.55°C (0.99°F) above the 20th century average of 16.1°C (61.0°F).
- The temperatures were very warm across eastern and northern North America, northern Africa, Eastern Europe, southern Asia, and parts of Australia.
- Tasmania tied its warmest March-May period on record.
- The Northeastern U.S. also had its warmest March-May period on record.
- Conversely, cool temperatures enveloped the western U.S. and eastern Asia.
- Western Europe was particularly dry for its spring season.
- The United Kingdom experienced its driest spring in 26 years, and the 12th driest since 1910, when UK records began.
Temperature anomalies March-May 2010. Source NOAA. Click image to enlarge.
Other Highlights
- Arctic sea ice covered an average of 5.06 million square miles (13.1 million square kilometers) in May 2010, which was 3.7 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent and the ninth-smallest May footprint since records began in 1979.
- Arctic sea ice melted 50 percent faster than the average May melting rate, the National Snow & Ice Data Center reported.
- Antarctic sea ice extent in May was 7.3 percent above the 1979-2000 average, resulting in the fourth largest May extent on record.
- Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent during May 2010 was a record low at 4.3 million square kilometers below the long-term average. North America and Eurasia both had record-low snow extents for the month.
- Northern Hemisphere March-May snow cover extent was fourth smallest on record.
- The North American (including Greenland) snow cover extent for spring (March-May) 2010 was the smallest on record.
See also: May 2010 Global State of the Climate – Supplemental Figures and Information
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