Annual 1880-1998 Global (Land and Ocean) Mean Temperature Anomalies

Annual 1880-1998 Global Mean Land Surface Temperature Anomalies

Annual 1880-1998 Global Ocean Mean Surface Temperature Anomalies

Since Earthday, 1998, meteorologists and climatologists have observed a lot of unusual weather and climate extremes. For example, early last year the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported that 1997 was the warmest year of the century. Yet only one year later, global mean temperatures for 1998 exceeded those of 1997, especially over land; 1998 broke the 1997 record

16 Consecutive Months of Record Breaking Global Mean Temperatures

Top 10 El Niño Events of the Century

Florida Wildfires and Climate Extremes in Summer 1998

In fact, for 16 consecutive months from May 1997 through August 1998, the global monthly mean temperature exceeded all previously recorded mean temperatures for that month - a phenomenon unprecedented in recorded weather observation history. In June, 1998, NCDC reported that the global mean temperature anomaly during the 1997-98 El Niño event was greater than for any other of the Top 10 El Niño Events of this century. Also in June of 1998, NCDC began reporting on the drought and resulting Wildfires in Florida and the Southeast.

Bonnie Buffets North Carolina Coast

Georges Pummels the Carribbean and Gulf Coast US

Mitch: Deadliest Atlantic Hurricane since 1780

Later in the Summer, NCDC was reporting on the heat and precipitation extremes in the US, especially in Texas and parts of the southeast. There were reports on the flooding in China, in North and South Korea, and in India and Bangladesh. Hurricane season started with Bonnie blasting the North Carolina coast. Later in September Georges left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean region and across the southern U.S. Gulf coast. Finally, Mitch, the "Deadliest Atlantic Hurricane Since 1780," brought massive destruction and death to Central America.

January 1998 temperature anomalies, El Niño conditions

January 1999 temperature anomalies, La Niña conditions

January 1998 surface wetness anomalies, El Niño conditions

January 1999 surface wetness anomalies, La Niña conditions

The change from an El Niño to a La Niña pattern late last year resulted in many regional temperature and precipitation changes. For example, many locations that received above normal precipitation in January 1998, when El Niño was dominant, were dryer than normal under La Niña conditions. Conversely, other areas that were dry in January 1998 received abundant precipitation in January 1999. Full details of these monthly patterns detailing regional climate averages and anomalies can be found within the Climate of 1998 Annual Review.

169 tornadoes for January 1999 set a U.S. January tornado record

February 1999 state ranks for precipitation indicate that four states ranked within the top ten

March 1999 average temperatures as a departure from 1961-1990 station normals.

The weather pattern took on a spring-like flavor in the U.S. during parts of January with a series of fast moving storms coming in from the Pacific which spawned the record number of 169 January tornadoes. During the month of February 1999, major events included an "Alaskan Cold Snap", heavy rains in the U.S. across the Pacific Northwest, and avalanches around the globe resulting in 98 fatalities. Temperature anomaly patterns changed significantly during March from what they were in February, In eastern Europe, snow melt combined with rainfall have resulted in a series of floods and landslides. While global temperatures were still running above the long term mean, they were not as extreme as what was observed during March of 1997 and March of 1998.

March 1997 Temperature Anomalies

March 1998 Temperature Anomalies

March 1999 Temperature Anomalies

The National Climatic Data Center collects and protects climate data, testing the quality and accuracy of the reports; compares the trends and extremes to recorded history; and distributes the results. Since Earthday, 1998, a team at NCDC has been responding to the unusual climate stories by gathering various analyses and data and providing them on the web as regular monthly Climate Perspectives Reports and Special Climate Summaries. We at NCDC work to keep the climate analyses in perspective...in service to the American people...for generations to come.

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