"For a month now we have been reading in the media about how July was the hottest month in recorded history."
That's cuz it's only been a month since it happened. Here's some stuff that's apparently been overlooked.
Select national information is highlighted below. (Please note that different countries report anomalies with respect to different base periods. The information provided here is based directly upon these data):
Austria recorded its hottest July since national records began in 1767. The average temperature was 3.0°C (5.0°F) higher than the 1981–2010 average, beating the previous record of +2.7°C (+4.9°F) set just a few years earlier in 2006. Two major heatwaves, with temperatures reaching 38°C (100°F), contributed to this heat record. At some stations in major cities, including Innsbruck University, Linz, and Klagenfurt, it was not only the hottest July, but the hottest month ever recorded in the 249-year period of record. On July 7th, the daily temperature reached 38.2°C (100.8°F) in Innsbruck, its highest temperature in recorded history.The heat waves extended to France, where the country had its third warmest July in its 116-year period of record. Overall, the temperature was 2.1°C (3.8°F) higher than the 1981–2010 average, with localized departures of more than 4°C (7°F) in the Massif Central to the North East and the Alps, according to MeteoFrance. The Netherlands also experienced abnormally hot July temperatures at the beginning of the month. Under an intense heat wave that gripped much of western and central Europe, the southeastern town of Maastricht observed a temperature of 38.2°C (100.8°F) on July 2nd the highest temperature on record for that town and one of the highest for the country. The highest temperature ever recorded was 38.6°C (101.5°F) in Warnsveld in 1944. The heat did not last however. The temperature was below 0°C (32°F) at a station in Twente in the eastern part of the country on July 9th and 10th, the first time the temperature dropped below freezing in July since 1984.Record-breaking heat was observed in parts of the southern United Kingdom at the beginning of July, including the highest temperature recorded in the country since August 2003. However, the heat did not last as westerly Atlantic air flowed in, bringing cooler-than-average temperatures for much of the remainder of the month. So, despite the early record heat, overall, the average July temperature for the UK was 0.7°C (1.1°F) lower than the 1981–2010 average.Despite a heatwave over part of Sweden at the beginning of the month, temperatures remained cool for the reminder of July across much of the country. While temperatures across southeastern Sweden were slightly above average, other areas, particularly in the far north, were not. Pajala observed its coolest July since 1965 and Gaddede its coolest since 1951, although SMHI notes that the station has been relocated a few times over the years. Norway experienced cooler-than-average temperatures for the third consecutive month. The average July temperature was 0.7°C (1.1°F) lower than the 1961–1990 average. Temperatures were as much as 3°C (5°F) below average at some stations in Finnmark.A high pressure dome over the Middle East brought what may be one of the most extreme heat indices ever recorded in the world on July 31st. According to media reports, in the city of Bandar Mahshahr, the air temperature of 46°C (115°F) combined with a dew point of 32°C (90°F) for a heat index on 74°C (165°F). The highest known heat index of 81°C (178°F) occurred in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on July 8th, 2003.
ncdc.noaa.gov
First read. I'm not sure how close Nick comes to the official numbers. Japanese should come out with the first official report in a few days.
Global surface August - NCEP/NCAR index up 0.14°C
Here are the results for the Moyhu NCEP/NCAR reanalysis index for August. It looked for a while to be a record breaking month, with steady warmth. But then there was a sudden late cool spell, apparently mostly Antarctica, and then an equally sudden recovery to warmth. The end result was 0.306°C, a big rise from July's 0.164. That is just slightly cooler (in this record) than May 2014 at 0.315°C. But it is the warmest for 2015 so far.
It makes a slight difference month-month what anomaly base period is used, and so the M oyhu table gives results also on the 1951-80 base (gor GISS) and 1961-90 (NOAA Mlost). So the comparable GISS-base number would be 0.87°C. But as mentioned in earlier posts, the NCEP index, being air temperature, has been running rather cool relative to the land/ocean indices which using the warm current SST. So I would not be surprised if GISS were even higher - maybe even 0.9°C. The record GISS anomaly is Jan 2007 at 0.96°C.
ps This post is a little later than usual. The volatility meant that I wanted to go right to the end of month, and the last day of NCEP/NCAR was posted a little late at NOAA.
moyhu.blogspot.com |
