June 2009 Second Warmest on Record

The National Climatic Data Center released its preliminary analysis of global temperatures for June. The data show that June 2009 was the second warmest on record, and the January-June period was tied with 2004 as the fifth warmest first half of the year. With the notable exception of the Northeast and upper Midwest of the U.S., most inhabited continents were warmer than average. The warmest temperatures relative to average were found in parts of Africa, Australia, and most of Eurasia. The overall June average global surface temperature was +0.62°C (+1.12°F) above the long-term average.

The global average sea surface temperature (SST) was the warmest on record for June, 0.59°C (1.06°F) above the 20th century average of 16.4°C (61.5°F).

The previously released U.S. June analysis showed the month to be slightly (0.2°F or 0.1°C) above the 20th century mean. This ranks June 2009 as the 49th warmest June since 1895. Regional temperatures were colder than normal in the Northeast and parts of the Southwest and North Central states, but they were above normal in the South, Southeast, and parts of the Northwest.

Images (click to enlarge): June global temperature departures from average since 1880, June 2009 land and sea surface temperature departures, June 2009 U.S. temperature departures, all from NOAA/NCDC