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Climate of 2004 - November in Historical Perspective Including Boreal Fall National Climatic Data Center
13 December 2004
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Global Analysis / Global Hazards / United States / U.S. Drought / Extremes
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access detailed analyses of Global and U.S. data.
Global Highlights:
- Based on preliminary data, global average combined land and sea surface temperature was warmest on record for both November and September-November 2004
- September-November temperatures were above average across the eastern half of the U.S., Alaska, Asia and Europe, with below average temperatures in parts of the western U.S., southeastern Australia and the Caribbean
- Precipitation during September-November was above average over the majority of the U.S., Japan, Scandinavia and the Caribbean, with drier than average conditions in southeastern Asia, western Australia and the northwestern U.S.
- Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) continued to be above normal in the central equatorial Pacific
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Contents of this Section:
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The data presented in this report are preliminary. Ranks and anomalies may change as more complete data are received and processed. The most current data may be accessed via the Global Surface Temperature Anomalies page.
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 Introduction
Temperature anomalies for the boreal fall are shown on the two maps* below. The dot map on the left uses anomalies that were calculated from the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) data set of land surface stations using a 1961-1990 base period. The map on the right is a blended product which uses satellite and surface anomaly values of measured land and ocean temperatures as well as SSTs with the base period of 1988-2004. Both maps reflect conditions during boreal fall (September-November) 2004, indicating above average temperatures in the eastern half of the U.S., Japan, the majority of Asia, Europe and Alaska, with cooler than average temperatures over western Mongolia, parts of Australia, the northern Rockies in the U.S., and the Caribbean. During the month of November 2004, above average temperatures occurred in Russia, the United Kingdom, Alaska, the southeastern U.S. and Japan while cooler than average conditions occurred in the western U.S., Algeria and eastern Australia.
*The two maps below utilize different base periods and may reflect different anomaly values of land surface temperatures.
Above average sea surface temperatures are also evident in the blended product, above right. Warmer than average conditions covered large parts of the central and eastern Pacific in association with weak El Ni�o conditions. Sea surface temperatures were also warmer than average in much of the northern Pacific. The combination of anomalous warmth over many land and ocean areas led to a record warm November and boreal fall (September-November) for land surfaces and for the combined land and ocean surfaces as shown in the table a graphs below. Values for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere are also included.
The mean position of upper level ridges of high pressure and troughs of low pressure (depicted by positive and negative 500 millibar height anomalies on the September-November 2004 and November 2004 maps) are generally reflected by areas of positive and negative temperature anomalies at the surface, respectively. For other Global products see the Climate Monitoring Global Products page.
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Temperature Rankings and Graphics
Current Month / Seasonal / Year-to-date
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November |
Anomaly |
Rank |
Warmest Year on Record |
Global
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean
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+1.26°C (+2.27°F)
+0.50°C (+0.90°F)
+0.73°C (+1.31°F)
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warmest
2nd warmest
warmest
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2nd - 2001(+1.04°C/1.87°F)
1997 (+0.58°C/1.04°F)
2nd - 2001 (+0.64°C/1.15°F)
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Northern Hemisphere
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean
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+1.58°C (+2.84°F)
+0.60°C (+1.08°F)
+1.00°C (+1.80°F)
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warmest
warmest
warmest
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2nd - 2001(+1.42°C/2.56°F)
2nd - 2003 (+0.58°C/1.04°F)
2nd - 2001 (+0.84°C/1.51°F)
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Southern Hemisphere
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean
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+0.31°C (+0.56°F)
+0.43°C (+0.77°F)
+0.41°C (+0.74°F)
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17th warmest
7th warmest
7th warmest |
1990 (+0.90°C/1.62°F)
1941 (+0.70°C/1.26°F)
1941 (+0.61°C/1.10°F)
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September-November |
Anomaly |
Rank |
Warmest Year on Record |
Global
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean |
+0.95°C (+1.71°F)
+0.48°C (+0.86°F)
+0.62°C (+1.12°F)
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warmest
3rd warmest
warmest |
2nd - 2003 (+0.83°C/1.50°F)
1997 (+0.54°C/0.97°F)
2nd - 2003 (+0.61°C/1.10°F)
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Northern Hemisphere
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean
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+1.05°C (+1.89°F)
+0.59°C (+1.06°F)
+0.78°C (+1.40°F)
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warmest
2nd warmest
warmest
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2nd - 2001 (+0.93°C/1.67°F)
2003 (+0.62°C/1.12°F)
2nd - 2003 (+0.74°C/1.33°F)
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Southern Hemisphere
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean
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+0.67°C (+1.21°F)
+0.42°C (+0.76°F)
+0.47°C (+0.85°F)
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3rd warmest
6th warmest
5th warmest
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2002 (+0.73°C/1.31°F)
1997 (+0.55°C/1.00°F)
1997 (+0.58°C/1.04°F)
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January-November |
Anomaly |
Rank |
Warmest Year on Record |
Global
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean |
+0.87°C (+1.57°F)
+0.41°C (+0.74°F)
+0.55°C (+1.00°F)
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3rd warmest
3rd warmest
4th warmest |
1998 (+1.00°C/1.80°F)
1998 (+0.49°C/0.88°F)
1998 (+0.64°C/1.15°F)
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Northern Hemisphere
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean
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+0.96°C (+1.73°F)
+0.50°C (+0.90°F)
+0.68°C (+1.22°F)
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3rd warmest
tied warmest
2nd warmest
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2002 (+1.05°C/1.90°F)
1998 (+0.50°C/0.90°F)
1998 (+0.72°C/1.30°F)
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Southern Hemisphere
Land
Ocean
Land and Ocean
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+0.55°C (+1.00°F)
+0.36°C (+0.65°F)
+0.40°C (+0.72°F)
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4th warmest
8th warmest
5th warmest
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1998 (+0.81°C/1.46°F)
1998 (+0.49°C/0.88°F)
1998 (+0.55°C/1.00°F)
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The most current data may be accessed via the Global Surface Temperature Anomalies page.
Precipitation
The maps below represent anomaly values based on the GHCN data set of land surface stations using a base period of 1961-1990. The map to the left is precipitation anomalies measured in millimeters, the map to the right is the percentage of average (1961-1990) precipitation. During September-November 2004, much above average precipitation fell in the southeastern quarter of the U.S., Alaska, Japan, Iceland, and the Caribbean. Below average precipitation was observed in southeastern Asia, northwestern U.S., France, Spain and parts of Brazil. During the month of November 2004, above average precipitation occurred in the southern U.S., the Caribbean, Norway and parts of eastern Australia while drier than average conditions were observed in India, Thailand, northwestern U.S. and western Europe.
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The satellite images below were acquired from SSM/I satellite data using a base period of 1988-2004. The map on the left reflects surface liquid wetness conditions, while the map on the right reflects snow cover conditions for the month. Snow covered areas that are normally snow-free during this month will appear drier than average on the wetness image since a wetness value cannot be determined for regions that are snow covered. Data in these areas that are normally snow covered are displayed as missing. This is due to the snow crystalline structure which produces a considerable amount of scatter and makes it difficult for the SSM/I to accurately detect the surface conditions. The SSM/I products are experimental and are under continuing review and development. Additional data and information can be found on the SSM/I Browser.
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Troposphere
Current Month / Seasonal
The tables below summarize mid-tropospheric conditions for November and September-November 2004. These temperatures are for the atmospheric layer centered in the mid-troposphere (approximately 2-6 miles above the Earth's surface) which also includes a portion of the lower stratosphere. (The MSU channel used to measure mid-tropospheric temperatures receives about 25 percent of its signal above 6 miles.) Analysis of the satellite record that began in 1979 indicates that global temperatures are increasing in the mid-troposphere, but the magnitude of the trend differs based on the analysis methods used in adjusting for factors such as orbital decay and inter-satellite differences. The 1979-2004 trend for November is 0.02°C/decade and September-November is 0.06°C/decade based on data from the University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH). Based on data provided by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) the trend for November is 0.12°C/decade and September-November is 0.15°C/decade. The base period used in both data sets is 1979-1998.
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November |
Anomaly |
Rank |
Warmest Year on Record |
| UAH mid-troposphere
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0.01°C (0.02°F)
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16th warmest
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2002 (+0.21°C/0.38°F)
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| RSS mid-troposphere
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+0.22°C (+0.40°F)
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5th warmest |
2002 (+0.32°C/0.58°F)
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