January 2020 was the warmest January on record for the Earth

Last January was the hottest January on record over the world’s land and ocean surfaces, with average temperatures exceeding anything in the 141 years of data held by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The record temperatures in January follow an exceptionally warm 2019, which has been ranked as the second hottest year for the planet’s surface since reliable measurements started. The past five years and the past decade are the hottest in 150 years of record-keeping, an indication of the gathering pace of the climate crisis.

According to NOAA, the average global land and ocean surface temperature last month was 2.5F (or 1.14C) above the 20th-century average. This measurement marginally surpassed the previous January record, set in 2016.

A pulse of unusual warmth was felt across much of Russia, Scandinavia and eastern Canada, where temperatures were an incredible 9F (5C) above average, or higher. The Swedish town of Örebro reached 10.3C, its hottest January temperature since 1858, while Boston experienced its hottest ever January day, at 23C (74F).

Meanwhile, the Antarctic has begun February with several temperature spikes. The southern polar continent broke 20C (68F) for the first time in its history on 9 February, following another previous high of 18.3C just three days previously. Scientists called the readings “incredible and abnormal”.

NOAA said the four warmest Januaries on record have occurred since 2016, while the 10 warmest Januaries have taken place since 2002.

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information said:

The globally averaged temperature departure from average over land and ocean surfaces for January 2020 was the highest for the month of January in the 141-year NOAA global temperature dataset record, which dates back to 1880.

anomalies

This monthly summary, developed by scientists at NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides to government, business, academia and the public to support informed decision-making.

January 2020 Temperature

temperature

  • The January 2020 global land and ocean surface temperature was the highest in the 141-year record at 2.05°F (1.14°C) above the 20th century average of 53.6°F (12.0°C). This value surpassed the previous record set in 2016 by only 0.04°F (0.02°C). This was also the fourth highest monthly temperature departure from average in the 1,681-month record. Only March 2016, February 2016 and December 2015 had a greater temperature departure.
    • January 2020 marked the 44th consecutive January and the 421st consecutive month with temperatures, at least nominally, above the 20th century average.
    • January 2016 and 2020 were the only Januaries with a global land and ocean surface temperature departure from average above 1.8°F (1.0°C). The four warmest Januaries have occurred since 2016; while the 10 warmest Januaries have all occurred since 2002.
    • The January 2020 global land and ocean surface temperature departure from average was the highest monthly temperature departure without an El Niño present in the tropical Pacific Ocean. March 2017, December 2019, and February 2017 were the other months where the global land and ocean surface temperature was above 1.8°F (1.0°C) without an El Niño present in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
    • The Northern Hemisphere also had its warmest January on record, with a combined land and ocean surface temperature departure from average of 2.70°F (1.50°C). This value bested the now second warmest January set in 2016 by 0.22°F (0.12°C).
    • The Southern Hemisphere’s land and ocean surface temperature departure from average was 1.40°F (0.78°C) above average, resulting in its second warmest January on record. Only January 2016 was warmer.
    • The most notable warmer-than-average land temperatures were present across much of Russia and parts of Scandinavia and eastern Canada, where temperatures were 9.0°F (5.0°C) above average or higher. The most notable cool temperature departures from average during January were observed across much of Alaska and parts of western Canada, with temperatures 7.2°F (4.0°C) below average or less.
    • Record-warm January surface temperatures were present across parts of Scandinavia, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the central and western Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and Central and South America. No land or ocean areas had record-cold January temperatures.
    • South America, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean and Hawaiian regions had their second warmest January since regional records began in 1910, while Oceania had its third warmest January on record.
    • According to a statistical analysis done by NCEI scientists, the year 2020 is very likely to rank among the five warmest years on record.

 landtemp

Sea Ice and Snow Cover

icecover

  • The January average Arctic sea ice extent of 5.27 million square miles was 297,000 square miles (5.3 percent) below the 1981–2010 average, tying with 2014 as the eighth smallest January extent in the 42-year record, according to analysis by the National Snow and Ice Data Center using data from NOAA and NASA. Baffin Bay had the smallest sea ice extent since January 2011, while the Barents Sea had the largest sea ice extent since January 2015.
  • Antarctic sea ice extent during January was 1.74 million square miles, which is 190,000 square miles (9.8 percent) below the 1981–2010 average. This value tied with January 2011 as the 10th smallest January sea ice extent on record.
  • According to data from NOAA and analyzed by the Rutgers Global Snow Lab, the Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent during January was 190,000 square miles below the 1981–2010 average and the 18th smallest January snow cover extent in the 54-year period of record. The North American snow cover extent was near average, while Eurasia had a slightly below-average extent for the month. (Assessing the Global Climate in January 2020)

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