Saturday, July 18, 2009

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

New York Breaks Summer Cool Streak Record

For previous record reports, see:
Record Heat
Record Cold


July 19 Update: The National Climatic Data Center reports the following number of July 17 record temperatures across the U.S. for stations with at least 30 years of data:
Daily high maximum temperature: 15 new, 14 tied
Daily low minimum temperature: 48 new, 20 tied

For the entire month of July to date:
Daily high maximum temperature: 471 new, 355 tied (826 total)
Daily low minimum temperature: 514 new, 292 tied (806 total)

7 PM Update: Here's a little perspective on the New York City record: All of New York state is 0.024% (2.4*10^-4) of the total surface area of the entire globe. (And if you're visiting from a cold-weather-all-the-time blog, check out the Record Heat they're not telling you about.)

Original post:
With a high on Friday of 86°, New York City broke its record spell of 46 consecutive days without reaching 85° since June 1. The last time the temperature failed to hit 85° in June was 1916. The only previous occurrences were 1903 and 1886. This June was tied for the 8th coolest, and it was the second wettest in history. From the National Weather Service public information statement:
TOP TEN COOLEST AND WETTEST
JUNES ON RECORD SINCE 1869 FOR CENTRAL PARK NY:

COOLEST WETTEST
AVG. TEMP. YEAR INCHES PRECIP. YEAR
64.2 1903 10.27 2003
65.2 1881 10.06 2009
65.7 1916 9.78 1903
66.8 1926/1902 9.30 1972
67.2 1958 8.79 1989
67.3 1927 8.55 2006
67.4 1928 7.76 1887
67.5 2009/1897 7.58 1975
67.7 1878 7.13 1938
67.8 1924 7.05 1871

THIS WAS THE COOLEST JUNE SINCE 1958...WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
WAS 67.2 DEGREES.

BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES OCCURRED ON 23 OUT OF 30 DAYS THIS
JUNE...OR 75 PERCENT OF THE MONTH.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Washington, DC Temperature Update


See here for more Washington, DC weather records.

July 16 Update: An under-forecast high of 96° today has helped push the monthly average to 75.2°, well out of the top 10 coolest Julys.

Original post:
After starting out exceptionally cool, July 2009 remains cooler than average at the middle of the month in Washington, DC. So far, only 1 day has been above average. That was also the only day to have reached 90°, compared to a long-term monthly average of 13.8. As temperatures have moved higher, however, this month's place in the top 10 coolest Julys is becoming increasingly precarious. Only a 0.2° increase in the current average of 74.6° will push 2009 past 2000 into 11th place.

Images (click to enlarge): Washington, DC July 2009 month-to-date average temperature vs. monthly normal and records (CapitalClimate chart from National Weather Service data) and U.S. month-to-date average temperature and departure from normal (Climate Prediction Center/NOAA)

Colbert Continues Climate Change Conquest:
Ban de Soleil

Stephen Colbert carries on the war against climate change with a bold proposal: Increase carbon dioxide production to put out the sun's "dangerous, unchecked nuclear power."

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Word - Ban de Soleil
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorJeff Goldblum

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Low Temperature Records Set in Northeast

Image (click to enlarge): U.S. daily minimum temperatures for July 14 from Unisys

As a generally cool July continues across the Northeast, several daily low temperature records for July 14 were set or tied this morning in the region and as far south as West Virginia:
A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 51 DEGREES WAS SET AT HARTFORD CT TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 52 SET IN 1940.

A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 57 DEGREES WAS SET AT BRIDGEPORT CT
TODAY AT 0441 AM. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 60 SET IN 2001.

AT 606 AM EDT THE TEMPERATURE AT THE ROCHESTER AIRPORT DIPPED TO A
CHILLY 48 DEGREES. THIS TIES THE RECORD FOR THIS DATE SET IN 1926.

AT 510 AM THIS MORNING...A NEW RECORD DAILY MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR
JULY 14 WAS SET OF 51 DEGREES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD DAILY MINIMUM
TEMPERATURE FOR PITTSBURGH WAS 52 DEGREES SET IN 1888.

THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 50 DEGREES AT ALLENTOWN AT 515 AM TODAY.
THIS TIED THE RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE, WHICH WAS FIRST
SET IN 1940.

A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 49 DEGREES WAS SET AT YOUNGSTOWN OH
TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 49 SET IN 2007.

A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 50 DEGREES WAS SET AT PARKERSBURG WV TODAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 52 SET IN 2001.

A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 44 DEGREES WAS SET AT ELKINS WV TODAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 45 SET IN 1974.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Phoenix Rising: Daily High Average Temperature Record Broken

Image (click to enlarge): U.S. daily maximum temperatures for July 12 from Unisys

Despite the efforts of cold-weather sites and their wannabes to confuse the issue, the heat records keep racking up in July. Arizona has now joined the festivities with Phoenix tying both its daily high temperature and high minimum temperature record yesterday to set a new record average temperature for the date:
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 115 DEGREES ON SUNDAY 12 JULY 2009 TIED THE 
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE IN PHOENIX. THE RECORD WAS
PREVIOUSLY SET IN 2005.

THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF 91 DEGREES ON SUNDAY 12 JULY 2009 ALSO TIED
THE RECORD HIGH LOW FOR THE DATE. THE RECORD WAS PREVIOUSLY SET IN
2003...2004...2006...AND 2007.

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 103 DEGREES ON SUNDAY 12 JULY 2009 SETS A
NEW RECORD FOR THE HIGHEST AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE IN
PHOENIX. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 102 DEGREES SET IN 1985.

THE NORMAL HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES FOR 12 JULY ARE 107 AND 83
DEGREES.
Two other record high minimums were also set or tied in Arizona:
CITY (PERIOD OF RECORD)         NEW HIGH LOW     PREVIOUS RECORD/YEAR
COTTONWOOD-TUZIGOOT (1977 - 2009) 75 72 IN 2004
MCNARY 2N (1920 - 2009) 58 58 (TIED) IN 2003

Seasonal Outlook

Latest seasonal forecast: Click here.


Latest 3-month temperature outlook from Climate Prediction Center/NWS/NOAA.