Global Highlights:

• Based on preliminary data for May 2004, global average combined land and sea surface temperature was fifth warmest on record, and fourth warmest for March-May 2004
• March-May temperatures were above average throughout the entire U.S., China and Europe, with below average temperatures in Spain, Mexico and far western Russia
• Precipitation during March-May was above average across the Mississippi Valley of the U.S., Alaska, India and the Korean Peninsula, with drier than average conditions in the southeastern U.S., eastern Australia, southeastern Asia and far western Canada
• Near-normal SSTs across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific basin were indicative of neutral ENSO conditions.

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

• Sea surface temperatures were again near-normal over much of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific (as shown in the adjacent animation of weekly sea surface temperature anomalies). A consensus of indices suggest neutral ENSO conditions. A comprehensive summary of May 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
  
  
• Images of sea surface temperature conditions are available for all months to date during 2004 at the weekly SST page

Troposphere