Global Temperature Trend Update -- October, 2010

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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 October, 2010.

Latest Global Temps

The 'coolest' month in 2010 ties second warmest October

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

October temperatures (preliminary)

Global composite temp.: +0.42 C (about 0.76 degrees Fahrenheit) above 20-year average for October.

Northern Hemisphere: +0.37 C (about 0.67 degrees Fahrenheit) above 20-year average for October.

Southern Hemisphere: +0.47 C (about 0.85 degrees Fahrenheit) above 20-year average for October.

Tropics: +0.15 C (about 0.27 degrees Fahrenheit) above 20-year average for October.

September temperatures (revised):

Global Composite: +0.60 C above 20-year average

Northern Hemisphere: +0.56 C above 20-year average

Southern Hemisphere: +0.65 C above 20-year average

Tropics: +0.29 C above 20-year average

(All temperature anomalies are based on a 20-year average (1979-1998) for the month reported.)

Notes on data released Nov. 2, 2010:

How warm has 2010 been? So warm that although October was the coolest month so far this year year (compared to seasonal norms), it tied October 2006 as the second warmest October in the 32-year satellite climate record, according to Dr. John Christy, professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center at The University of Alabama in Huntsville.

Warmest Octobers*
Year   Globe   NH     SH    Trpcs
2005   0.47   0.48   0.45   0.15
2006   0.42   0.38   0.47   0.33
2010*  0.42   0.37   0.47   0.15
1998   0.41   0.51   0.31   0.34
2003   0.41   0.55   0.27   0.3
2004   0.36   0.33   0.38   0.19
2009   0.36   0.33   0.39   0.39
2001   0.3    0.25   0.36   0.21
2007   0.26   0.31   0.22  -0.11
2002   0.25   0      0.49   0.2

*Compared to seasonal norms.

2010 remains the second hottest year in the record, with average daily temperatures through October that were only 0.03 C -- a difference that is not statistically significant -- cooler than the record set in 1998 during an El Nino Pacific Ocean warming event.