Continuing Surge of Heat Records Pushes 2012 YTD Ratio Over 21 to 1; March Ratio 34 to 1

The National Climatic Data Center temperature record reporting function has been down for maintenance for most of the past week, but it's back today with a continuing surge of new heat records. For March 2012 to date, an incredible number of 5802 new daily high temperature records have been reported in the U.S., vs. a mere 170 low temperature records, a ratio of over 34 to 1. The monthly total of heat records for 26 days so far is now higher than the cold records for the entire year of 2010. For the year 2012 to date, the heat records outnumber cold records by a ratio of 21.4 to 1.

Images (click to enlarge):
Monthly ratio of daily high temperature to low temperature records set in the U.S. for January 2011 through March 26, 2012, seasonal ratio for summer and fall 2011, winter 2011-2012, and annual ratio for 2012 and 2011; Total monthly high and low temperature records for March 2011 through March 26, 2012;
CapitalClimate charts from NOAA/NCDC data, background image © Kevin Ambrose (www.weatherbook.com). Includes historical daily observations archived in NCDC's Cooperative Summary of the Day data set and preliminary reports from Cooperative Observers and First Order National Weather Service stations. All stations have a Period of Record of at least 30 years.