NASA: November was the Warmest on Record

NASA today (15 December 2009) updated its Global Land-Ocean Temperature Index with data for November 2009, indicating that the month was 0.68oC above the 1951-1980 mean, making it the warmest November on record. 

NASA also issued data for the September-October-November period, indicating that it was the 2nd warmest on record for land and ocean combined, behind only Sep-Oct-Nov 2005.

Also today, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its global analysis for November based on a separate database.  NOAA found that November 2009 was tied with 2008 as the 4^th warmest (0.60oC above the 20th century average -- a different base period than NASA uses) behind 2004, 2005, 2001 (in that order).  NOAA's data indicates that the Sep-Oct-Nov period was the fourth warmest on record.

The temperature anomalies were greatest in the Southern hemisphere, where November 2009 saw the warmest combined global land and ocean surface temperatures on record.  Northern hemisphere land and ocean temperatures were the 8th warmest on record.  Temperatures in the north were especially warm in North America, while cooler conditions prevailed over a large portion of East Asia.

As indicated by the figure below, the global trend since 1880 has been towards warmer Novembers, particularly over land.

Today's releases of global temperature data come on the heels of recent announcements that the last decade was the warmest on record, that 2010 likely will be the warmest on record and that the next decade will warmer still.  See our postings, U.K. Met Office: 2010 Likely to be Warmest on Record (11 December 2009), World Meteorological Organization: 2009 Among Top Ten Warmest Years on Record (8 December 2009) and UK Met Office: This Decade is Warmest on Record  (8 December 2009). 

Last week, NOAA reported that it was the 3rd warmest November on record for the contiguous U.S.  With temperatures 4oF above the average November during the 20th century, none of the lower-48 states experienced temperatures below average this November (see figure below). 

The figure below shows the trend in November temperatures for the contiguous U.S. since 1895.  The last decade is remarkable for its sharp warming trend.

In a preliminary annual report issued 8 December 2009, NOAA projected that annual temperatures and precipitation for the contiguous U.S. for 2009 would be above the 20th century average.

Additional Information:

• State of the Climate, National Overview, November 2009
• State of the Climate, Annual Overview
• State of the Climate, Global Analysis, November 2009
• NOAA: 2009 Global Temperatures Well Above Average; Slightly Above-Average for U.S. Press release (8 December 2009) from NOAA.