Thursday, September 17, 2009
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| Global surface temperature anomalies for the
month of August 2009. Temperature is compared to the average global
temperature from 1961-1990 Credit: NOAA |
NCDC scientists also reported that the combined average global
land and ocean surface temperature for August was second warmest on
record, behind 1998. For the June-August 2009 season, the combined
global land and ocean surface temperature was third warmest on
record.
Global Highlights – Summer
- The June-August worldwide ocean surface temperature was also
the warmest on record at 62.5 degrees F, 1.04 degrees F above the
20th century average of 61.5 degrees F.
- The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature
for the June-August season was 61.2 degrees F, which is the third
warmest on record and 1.06 degrees F above the 20th century average
of 60.1 degrees F.
Global Highlights – August
- The worldwide ocean surface temperature of 62.4 degrees F was
the warmest on record for any August, and 1.03 degrees F above the
20th century average of 61.4 degrees F.
- Separately, the global land surface temperature of 58.2 degrees
F was 1.33 degrees F above the 20th century average of 56.9 degrees
F, and ranked as the fourth warmest August on record.
- Large portions of the world’s land mass observed
warmer-than-average temperatures in August. The warmest departures
occurred across Australia, Europe, parts of the Middle East,
northwestern Africa, and southern South America. Both Australia and
New Zealand had their warmest August since their records
began.
- The Southern Hemisphere average temperatures for land and ocean
surface combined were the warmest on record for August.
Other Notable Developments
- For the year to date, the combined global land and ocean
surface temperature of 58.3 degrees F tied with 2003 for the
fifth-warmest January-August period on record. This value is 0.99
degree F above the 20th century average.
- According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC),
Arctic sea ice covered an average of 2.42 million square miles
during August. This is 18.4 percent below the 1979-2000 average
extent, and is generally consistent with a decline of August sea
ice extent since 1979.
- NSIDC data indicated Antarctic sea ice extent in August was 2.7
percent above the 1979-2000 average. This is consistent with the
trend during recent decades of modest increases in August Antarctic
sea ice extent.
SOURCE
