Global Highlights:

• Based on preliminary data for July 2004, global average combined land and sea surface temperature was sixth warmest on record
• July temperatures were above average throughout Alaska, the western half of North America and Scandinavia, with below average temperatures in the Great Plains of the U.S. and adjoining parts of Canada as well as the United Kingdom
• Precipitation during July was above average across the Great Plains of the U.S., the majority of Europe and much of South America, with drier than average conditions in Alaska, India and Japan
• Near-neutral SSTs across the central equatorial Pacific basin prompted forecasts of a developing El Niño.

Contents of this Section:

• Introduction
• Global Temperatures
• Global Precipitation
• ENSO SST Analysis
• Troposphere
• Stratosphere

Introduction

Temperature Rankings and Graphics

Precipitation

ENSO SST Analysis

Click here for animated loop

• Warming in the central equatorial Pacific prompted forecasts of a developing El Niño (as shown in the adjacent animation of weekly sea surface temperature anomalies). A consensus of indices suggests near-neutral ENSO conditions. A comprehensive summary of July 2004 ENSO conditions can be found on the ENSO monitoring page. For the latest advisory on ENSO conditions go to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) and the CPC ENSO Diagnostic Discussion