January 2009 7th Warmest on Record

The preliminary analysis of January 2009 data released today by NCDC/NOAA shows that "the globally averaged combined land and sea surface temperature was the seventh warmest on record for January."

Other January highlights:

* January 2009 temperatures were above average in much of the land areas of the globe, with the exception of cooler-than-average temperatures across the northeastern and midwestern contiguous U.S., western Alaska, eastern Russia, western Europe, northwestern Africa, southeastern Asia, northeastern Australia, and northern Argentina.

* Precipitation during January 2009 was above average across Iceland, the British Isles, Alaska's panhandle, northeastern Australia, eastern and southern parts of Europe, northern South America, and southeastern Asia. Drier-than-average conditions were observed across eastern Asia, most of the continental U.S., eastern and southern parts of South America, and northern Europe.

* Cold phase El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) (La Niña) conditions were present across the equatorial Pacific Ocean during January 2009.

Images (click to enlarge): Historical January global temperature departures from average, January 2009 global temperature distribution, from National Climatic Data Center/NOAA