The State of the Climate in 2006 report summarizes the year’s weather and climate conditions, both globally and regionally. In addition, the year is placed into a long-term climatological context. Furthermore, notable events are also discussed. Overall global temperatures were fifth or sixth warmest on record, depending on the dataset, continuing an upward trend in temperatures. Many countries and regions experienced their record warmest year (or tied for warmest), including Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and China, as well as parts of Australia and Canada. In many regions, the warmth in 2006 is statistically indistinguishable from the record warmth in 1998. However, 1998 was influenced by the unprecedented warming associated with the record 1997/98 El Niño, whereas 2006 was marked by a 2005/06 La Niña that transitioned into a weak-to-moderate 2006/07 El Niño. Consistent with the warming, sea ice extent in both polar regions reached record or near-record minima. In addition, Antarctic ozone concentrations reached an all-time minimum. Also, carbon dioxide measurements increased in the atmosphere by 2.3 parts per million (ppm) in 2006 to reach a global average of 381.1 ppm. In the global oceans, sea levels were above average for ~80% of the ocean. The global mean sea level anomaly change of +6 mm from 2005 was the highest increase since the altimeter record began in 1993. Relative sea level change was also the highest ever recorded. Significant heat flux and current anomalies were observed in the regions of the 2006 El Niño and Indian Ocean dipole mode event. Despite the warmth around the globe, tropical cyclone counts were near average. However, Tropical Cyclone Larry made landfall in northern Australia as one of the most intense storms in decades. Following the record Atlantic hurricane season of 2005, the 2006 season was very quiet.
Halpert, M. S.; Ropelewski, C. F.; Kopman, J. D.; Angell, J. K.; Bell, G. D.; Garrett, D. R.; Gelman, G. E.; Janowiak, J. E.; Kousky, V. E.; Miller, A. J.; Miskus, D.; Tinker, R.; Christy, J. R.; Spencer, R. W.; Heim Jr., R. R.; Stowe, L. L.; Karl, T. R.; Laing, M.; Parker, D. E.; Reynolds, R. W.; Ji, M.; Leetmaa, A.; Jones, P. D.; Dutton, E.; Peterson, J.; Van den Dool, H. M.; Smith, T. M.; Schultz, P. A.; Sabol, P.; O'Lenic, E. A.; Long, C. S.; Churchill, R. H.; Chaplin, J. M.; Basist, A. N.; Doty, B. E.;
Published Date:
1993
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
This report is designed to present a timely summary of recent observations of the global climate system and an early assessment and interpretation of the major climate anomalies of the past year. Our priority is to present the summary of data as soon...
The year was characterized by a transition from a waning La Niña to a strengthening El Niño, which first developed in June. By December, SSTs were more than 2.0°C above average over large parts of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Eastwa...
From a global perspective, the annual average surface temperature in 2004 was the fourth highest value observed since regular instrumental records began in 1880. Global surface air temperatures in 2004 were 0.44°C (0.79°F) above the 1961–90 mean,...
Halpert, M. S.; Ropelewski, C. F.; Kopman, J. D.; Angell, J. K.; Bell, G. D.; Garrett, D. R.; Gelman, G. E.; Hansen, J.; Kroczynski, S.; Morgan, A.; Janowiak, J. E.; Kousky, V. E.; Miller, A. J.; Miskus, D.; Tinker, R.; Christy, J. R.; Spencer, R. W.; Heim Jr., R. R.; Stowe, L. L.; Karl, T. R.; Laing, M.; Parker, D. E.; Reynolds, R. W.; Ji, M.; Leetmaa, A.; Jones, P. D.; Dutton, E.; Peterson, J.; Van den Dool, H. M.; Smith, T. M.; Robinson, D. A.; Gruza, G.; Nagtani, R.; Tans, P.; Schultz, P. A.; Sabol, P.; O'Lenic, E. A.; Long, C. S.; Churchill, R. H.; Chaplin, J. M.; Basist, A. N.; Doty, B. E.;
Published Date:
1994
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
The possibility of long-term climate change continues to be a concern and focus for scientific investigations, development of government policy, and planning of commercial interests, especially in agriculture and water resources. However, the year-by...
Halpert, M. S.; Reitenbach, R.; Sterin, A.; Nelson, P.; Salstein, D.; Wright, W.; Ropelewski, C. F.; Kopman, J. D.; Angell, J. K.; Bell, G. D.; Garrett, D. R.; Gelman, G. E.; Hansen, J.; Kroczynski, S.; Andrews, G.; Harrison, J.; Conway, T.; Dlugokencky, E.; Masarie, K.; Gray, W.; Rosenhagen, G.; Cullum, D.; Morgan, A.; Folland, C.; O'Donnell, M.; Brown, W.; Janowiak, J. E.; Kousky, V. E.; Miller, A. J.; Miskus, D.; Tinker, R.; Christy, J. R.; Spencer, R. W.; Heim Jr., R. R.; Stowe, L. L.; Karl, T. R.; Laing, M.; Parker, D. E.; Reynolds, R. W.; Ji, M.; Leetmaa, A.; Jones, P. D.; Dutton, E.; Peterson, J.; Van den Dool, H. M.; Smith, T. M.; Robinson, D. A.; Gruza, G.; Nagtani, R.; Tans, P.; Schultz, P. A.; Sabol, P.; O'Lenic, E. A.; Long, C. S.; Churchill, R. H.; Chaplin, J. M.; Basist, A. N.; Doty, B. E.;
Published Date:
1995
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
The possibility of long-term climate change continues to be a concern and focus for scientific investigations and for the development of government policies and international agreements. However, for commercial interests, especially in agriculture an...
Bell, G. D.; Halpert, M. S.; Ropelewski, C. F.; Kousky, V. E.; Douglas, A. V.; Schnell, R. C.; Gelman, M. E.;
Published Date:
1999
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
The global climate during 1998 was affected by opposite extremes of the ENSO cycle, with one of the strongest Pacific warm episodes (El Niño) in the historical record continuing during January–early May and Pacific cold episode (La Niña) conditio...
Halpert, M. S.; Ropelewski, C. F.; Kopman, J. D.; Angell, J. K.; Bell, G. D.; Garrett, D. R.; Gelman, G. E.; Janowiak, J. E.; Kousky, V. E.; Miller, A. J.; Miskus, D.; Sabol, P.; Tinker, R.; Christy, J. R.; Spencer, R. W.; Heim Jr., R. R.; Stowe, L. L.;
Published Date:
1992
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
The purpose of this report is to present a technical resource which can be used to address questions concerning changes to the global climate system.
The global climate during 1997 was affected by both extremes of the El NiÒoñSouthern Oscillation (ENSO), with weak Pacific cold episode conditions prevailing during January and February, and one of the strongest Pacific warm episodes (El NiÒo) in ...
Bell, G. D.; Halpert, M. S.; Schnell, R. C.; Higgins, R. W.; Lawrimore, J.; Kousky, V. E.; Tinker, R.; Thiaw, W. M.; Chelliah, M.; Artusa, A.;
Published Date:
2000
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
The global climate during 1999 was impacted by Pacific cold episode (La Niña) conditions throughout the year, which resulted in regional precipitation and atmospheric circulation patterns across the Pacific Ocean and the Americas that are generally ...
The climate of 1996 can be characterized by several phenomena that reflect substantial deviations from the mean state of the atmosphere persisting from months to seasons. First, mature cold-episode conditions persisted across the tropical Pacific fro...
Waple, A. M.; Lawrimore, J. H.; Halpert, M. S.; Bell, G. D.; Higgins, W.; Lyon, B.; Menne, M. J.; Gleason, K. L.; Schnell, R. C.; Christy, J. R.; Thiaw, W. M.; Wright, W. J.; Salinger, M. J.; Alexander, L.; Stone, R. S.; Camargo, S. J.;
Published Date:
2002
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
Global temperatures in 2001 were 0.51°C (0.92°F) above the long-term (1880–2000) average, which places 2001 as the second warmest year in the 122-year instrumental record. Land temperatures were 0.75°C (1.35°F) above average and ocean temperatu...
Halpert, M. S.; Bell, G. D.; Kousky, V. E.; Ropelewski, C. F.;
Published Date:
1996
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is a major contributor to the observed year-to-year variability in the Pacific Ocean and in the global atmospheric circulation. The short-term climate system witnessed the return to the mature phase ...
Alexander, L. V.; Parker, D. E.; Ambenje, P.; Baddour, O.; Belchansky, G.; Bell, G. D.; Chellah, M.; Eichler, T.; Halpert, M. S.; Mo, Kingste; Thiaw, W. M.; Bell, M. A.; Camargo, S. J.; Kopec-Grover, E. K.; Blake, E.; Pasch, R.; Bulygina, O. N.; Christy, J. C.; Vazquez, M. C.; Douglas, A.; Douglas, D. C.; Drobot, S.; Gleason, K. L.; Lawrimore, J. H.; Levinson, D. H.; Menne, M.; Waple, A. M.; Woodhouse, C.; Garanganga, B.; Goldenberg, S.; Landsea, C.; Hansen, J.; Kolli, R. K.; McBride, C.; Phillips, D.; Robinson, D. A.; Salinger, J.; Schnell, R. C.; Stone, R. S.; Watkins, A.;
Published Date:
2004
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
The earth’s climate was influenced by a moderate El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean at the beginning of 2003. This ENSO warm event developed during October–November of 2002, and eventually dissipated during March–April 2003, giving way to n...
The combined land and ocean surface temperature in 2007 fell within the 10 highest on record, while the average land temperature was the warmest since global records began in 1880. In the low to midtroposphere, the annual global mean temperature was ...
Neutral ENSO conditions at the beginning of 2002 gave way to a strengthening El Niño episode during boreal summer. Weather patterns in many areas of the world reflected the warm phase conditions. The average global temperature in 2002 was 0.45°C ab...
Lawrimore, J. H.; Halpert, M. S.; Bell, G. D.; Menne, M. J.; Lyon, B.; Schnell, R. C.; Gleason, K. L.; Easterling, D. R.; Thiaw, W. M.; Wright, W. J.; Heim, R. R.; Robinson, D. A.; Alexander, L.;
Published Date:
2001
Series:
State of the Climate
Description:
The global climate in 2000 was again influenced by the long-running Pacific cold episode (La Niña) that began in mid-1998. Consistent with past cold episodes, enhanced convection occurred across the climatologically convective regions of Indonesia a...
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