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By Summit Voice
FRISCO — The average global temperature for January 2014 was 1.17 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average — the fourth-highest for Planet Earth, with record-high readings reported from southeastern Brazil and central and southern Africa. Land surface readings in the southern hemisphere were record warm and record warmth was also reported in the North Pacific.
According to the monthly global climate summary from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center it was the warmest January since 2007, and marked the ninth consecutive month (since May 2013) with a global monthly temperature among the 10 highest for its respective month.
Despite a few hefty snowstorms across parts North America, northern hemisphere snow cover was below average, ranking as the 10th-lowest on record, both in North America and Eurasia, NOAA scientists said, adding that global sea ice extent was above average for the month.
Parts of Europe reported exceptionally high temperatures for the month, including France, with an average reading that was 4.9 degrees Fahrenheit above average, tying with 1988 and 1936 as the warmest Januaries on record. Spain reported its third-warmest January, while Austria and Switzerland both reported their fifth-warmest Januaries.
Compiled from the NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for January 2014, published online February 2014, retrieved on February 20, 2014 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/1.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/208164821/NOAA-2013-Global-Temp-Report
