Global Surface Temperatures in March 2010 Were Highest on Record, NOAA Reports

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported today (15 April 2010) that global surface temperatures in March were the highest on record.

In State of the Climate, Global Analysis, March 2010, NOAA reports:

• "The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for March 2010 was the warmest on record at 13.5°C (56.3°F), which is 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.7°C (54.9°F). This was also the 34^th consecutive March with global land and ocean temperatures above the 20^th century average.
• The March worldwide land surface temperature was 1.36°C (2.45°F) above the 20^th century average of 5.0°C (40.8°F)—the fourth warmest on record.
• The worldwide ocean surface temperature was 0.56°C (1.01°F) above the 20^th century average of 15.9°C (60.7°F) and the warmest March on record.
• For the year-to-date, the global combined land and ocean surface temperature of 13.0°C (55.3°F) was the fourth warmest January-March period. This value is 0.66°C (1.19°F) above the 20^th century average. "

We reported earlier this week on NASA's surface temperature data for March (see Record Breaking Temperatures Continue in March for Southern Hemisphere, 14 April 2010) .  While both NASA and NOAA data are roughly consistent and both show rapid global warming, their data and analyses yield somewhat different results and rankings.

Online Resources:

• State of the Climate, Global Analysis, March 2010.  From NOAA.
•  NOAA: Global Temps Push Last Month to Hottest March on Record. Press release (15 April 2010) from NOAA.