ST

ST | SSTA | Wind & waves | Emissions

Surface Temperature (ST) and Surface Temperature Anomaly (STA)

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Global STA

February 2016. Globally, it was 1.65°C warmer then, compared to 1890-1910, as shown on the inset of above image.

Anomalies in the Arctic were even higher. As the main image shows, it was around 6°C warmer at latitudes north of 70°N.

Note that insufficient data were available to include latitudes north of 85°N in the analysis, as also indicated by the grey areas on the image.

To get an idea of the situation north of latitude 80°N, have a look at the image below, by Nico Sun, showing freezing degree days anomaly over the years, compared to the 1958 - 2002 mean temperature.



Warming is striking the Arctic even harder. What contributes to that?

1. High levels of greenhouse gases over the Arctic contribute to local warming.
2. Soot, dust and VOC emitted on continents can settle on snow and ice cover, causing its demise;  
3. Warm water from rivers ending flowing into the Arctic Ocean.
4. High temperatures over land can extend over the entire Arctic. 
5. Ocean heat. 
6. Feedbacks further accelerate warming, e.g. albedo loss can result from sea ice and from growth of algae on warmer ice. 

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Warming of the air over the Arctic Ocean occurs faster than elsewhere on Earth

From the post 'Arctic Sea Ice May 2017' at:
https://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2017/05/arctic-sea-ice-may-2017.html

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Global STA

From the post 'Pursuing efforts?', at:
http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2016/10/pursuing-efforts.html

From the post 'Pursuing efforts?', at:
http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2016/10/pursuing-efforts.html

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Temperature anomalies in the Arctic have already been the highest in the world for years, as illustrated by above NOAA image that shows temperature anomalies above 2.5°C over the Arctic Ocean over the 365-day period up to May 18, 2017.

There is a huge danger that temperatures will accelerate very rapidly in the Arctic, as self-reinforcing feedbacks are starting to kick in with greater force.

This applies in particular to feedbacks associated with loss of snow and ice cover in the Arctic and to methane releases from clathrates contained in sediments at the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean.

From the post 'Arctic Warming - Update May 2017', at:
https://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2017/05/arctic-warming-update-may-2017.html

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ST globally - heatwaves

South Africa 40.2°C or 104.3°F
http://earth.nullschool.net/#2016/01/11/1200Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=21.00,0.00,319/loc=20.764,-29.124

Equatorial Africa 42.6°C or 108.6°F
http://earth.nullschool.net/#2016/01/11/1200Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=21.00,0.00,319/loc=33.010,8.562

North of South America 40.8°C or 105.4°F
http://earth.nullschool.net/#2016/01/12/1800Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=-67.00,0.00,319/loc=-74.323,9.831

South America 42.7°C or 108.8°F
http://earth.nullschool.net/#2016/01/12/1800Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=-67.00,0.00,319/loc=-61.061,-23.747

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Sunday, 10 January 2016
Deadly heatwave kills 11 in South Africa as mercury hits 45°C (113°F)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/climatealert/permalink/869758973123282/

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High ST in the Arctic

The image below shows a location well inside the Arctic Circle (66.5°N) where temperatures as high as 37.1°C (98.78°F) were recorded on July 2, 2015. The top panel shows temperatures, while the bottom panel also shows the depth of the Arctic Ocean and the location of the Gakkel Ridge, in between the northern tip of Greenland and the Laptev Sea.

From the post 'East Siberian Heat Wave', at:
http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2015/07/east-siberian-heat-wave.html

As above image shows, a slightly higher temperature was reached on July 2, 2015, 03:00 UTC at a nearby location at 66.5°N:
at 66.5°N, 148°E, it was 37.1°C or 98.9°F

The image on the right also shows temperatures at higher latitudes, at 69°N and at 72°N:
at 69°N, 147°E, it was 32.1°C or 89.9°F
at 72°N, 147.868°E, it was 28.1°C or 82.5°F

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The image below shows that temperatures as high as 36.6°C or 97.8°F were forecast for June 13, 2016, over the Yenisei River in Siberia that ends in the Arctic Ocean.

From the post 'High Temperatures In Arctic', at:
http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2016/06/high-temperatures-in-arctic.html

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