NOAA: 2010 So Far Tied with 1998 as Warmest Global Temperature on Record
17 September 2010
The first eight months of 2010 tied the same period in 1998 for the warmest combined land and ocean surface temperature on record worldwide. Meanwhile, the June–August summer was the second warmest on record globally after 1998, and last month was the third warmest August on record, according to NOAA. Separately, last month’s global average land surface temperature was the second warmest on record for August, while the global ocean surface temperature tied with 1997 as the sixth warmest for August.
Temperature Anomalies, August 2010. Source: NOAA. Click to enlarge. |
The monthly analysis from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center is based on records going back to 1880.
For January–August 2010, the global combined land and ocean surface temperature of 58.5 °F (14.7 °C) tied with 1998 as the warmest January–August period on record. This value is 1.21 °F (0.67 °C) above the 20th century average.
The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for August 2010 was the third warmest on record at 61.2 °F (16.2 °C), which is 1.08 °F (0.60 °C) above the 20th century average of 60.1 °F (15.6 °C). August 1998 is the warmest August on record and 2009 is the second warmest.
The August worldwide land surface temperature was 1.62 °F (0.90 °C) above the 20th century average of 56.9 °F (13.8 °C)—the second warmest August on record behind 1998. Warmer-than-average conditions dominated land areas of the globe. The most prominent warmth was in eastern Europe, eastern Canada and parts of eastern Asia. Cooler-than-average regions included Australia, central Russia and southern South America.
The August 2010 average temperature across China was 70.5 °F (21.4 °C), which is 2.0 °F (1.1 °C) above the 1971-2000 average and the warmest August since 1961, according to the Beijing Climate Center.
Overall, the UK experienced its coolest August since 1993, according to the UK Met Office. Separately, England had its coolest August since 1993, Wales and Northern Ireland had their coolest August since 1994, and Scotland had its coolest August since 1998.
The worldwide ocean surface temperature was 0.90 °F (0.50 °C) above the 20th century average of 61.4 °F (16.4 °C) and tied with 1997 as the sixth warmest August on record.
La Niña, the opposite oceanic phenomena as El Niño, continued to strengthen during August 2010 resulting in cooler sea surface temperatures across most of the equatorial Pacific Ocean. According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, La Niña is expected to last at least through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2010–2011.
The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for June–August 2010 was the second warmest on record, behind 1998, at 61.3 °F (16.2 °C), which is 1.15 °F (0.64 °C) above the 20th century average of 60.1 °F (15.6 °C).
The June–August worldwide land surface temperature was 1.80 °F (1.00 °C) above the 20th century average of 56.9 °F (13.8 °C)—the warmest June–August on record, surpassing the previous record of 1.66 °F (0.92 °C) set in 1998.
Canada experienced its third warmest June–August since national records began in 1948, behind 1998, followed by 2006, according to Environment Canada. January–August 2010 also set a record for the warmest first eight months, surpassing the previous record set in 2006.
According to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria and South Australia had their coolest June–August in 13 years, while New South Wales had its coolest June–August in a decade.
The worldwide ocean surface temperature was 0.92 °F (0.51 °C) above the 20th century average of 61.5 °F (16.4 °C) and was the fifth warmest June–August on record.
Arctic sea ice covered an average of 2.3 million square miles (6.0 million square kilometers) during August. This is 22% below the 1979–2000 average extent and the second lowest August extent since records began in 1979. The record low August was set in 2007. This was the 14th consecutive August (1997–2010) with below-average Arctic sea ice extent.
Antarctic sea ice extent in August was 4.1% above the 1979–2000 average, resulting in the largest August sea ice extent on record. The previous record was set in August 2000.
According to the German Meteorological Service, Deutscher Wetterdienst, Germany had its wettest August since 1901.
According to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, the continent received an average of 26.6 mm (1.0 inch) of precipitation during August 2010—this is 42% above the 1961–1990 average. Regionally, Victoria had its wettest August since 1981, the Northern Territory had its wettest August since 1975 and Queensland had its wettest August since 1998.
According to this, Siberia looks promising for a summer vacation.
Should I book now and avoid the rush?
Posted by: Arnold | 17 September 2010 at 02:29 AM
This is the same NOAA that screwed up the UHI effect and that couldn't decide of 2009 was the second or third hottest "on record."
Ya, I don't put much credence in what they say anymore. They've proven themselves incapable of even the most basic science.
Posted by: MacAaron | 17 September 2010 at 01:02 PM
Yes they screwed up the UHI effect but when Anthony Watts pointed this out to them they thanked him and corrected it by removing the offending data sets he said they shouldn't use... and the recalculation showed an even greater Global Warming.
You see, their critics (people who HAVE proven themselves truely incapable of even the most basic science) failed to understand the UHI effect is a red herring. When NOAA used weather stations to monitor GW their concern was not the absolute temperature – whether a station is reading warmer or cooler than a nearby station over grass – but how that temperature changes over time.
Posted by: ai_vin | 17 September 2010 at 01:44 PM
Arnold, perhaps Arizona would be a great place to live for those who doubt.
MacAaron, I don't put much credence in the pundits and shills who are funded by fossil fuel companies and the Koch Brothers, for starters. There is a heavy anti-science thrust with the tea party movement, which goes to show that some are still entranced with a passionate but fact-free ideology...
Posted by: Will S | 21 September 2010 at 06:18 AM
Speaking of the anti-science thrust of the Tea Party: Delaware Republican Senate nominee Christine O'Donnell appeared in 2007 on The O'Reilly Factor and said "American scientific companies are cross-breeding humans and animals and coming up with mice with fully functioning human brains."
Posted by: ai_vin | 21 September 2010 at 12:22 PM