Science & Technology

Global Temperature Trend Update: January 2013—2nd Warmest

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Every month University of Alabama in Huntsville climatologists John Christy and Roy Spencer report the latest global temperature trends from satellite data. Below are the newest data updated through Janaury 2013.

Second warmest January in past 35 years

Global climate trend since Nov. 16, 1978: +0.14 C per decade

January temperatures (preliminary)

Global composite temp.: +0.51 C (about 0.92 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for January.

Northern Hemisphere: +0.55 C (about 0.99 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for January.

Southern Hemisphere: +0.46 C (about 0.83 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for January.

Tropics: +0.38 C (about 0.68 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for January.

Notes: Globally, January 2013 was the second warmest January among the past 35, with an annual global average temperature that was 0.51 C (about 0.92 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the 30-year baseline average, according to Dr. John Christy, a professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. January 2010 was the warmest January, while January 1998 is now pushed to third warmest.

Go here to see the monthly satellite data from 1978 to the present.