In 2015, the dominant greenhouse gases released into Earth’s atmosphere—carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide—all continued to reach new high levels. At Mauna Loa, Hawaii, the annual CO2 concentration increased by a record 3.1 ppm, exceeding 400 ppm for the first time on record. The 2015 global CO2 average neared this threshold, at 399.4 ppm. Additionally, one of the strongest El Niño events since at least 1950 developed in spring 2015 and continued to evolve through the year. The phenomenon was far reaching, impacting many regions across the globe and affecting most aspects of the climate system. Owing to the combination of El Niño and a long-term upward trend, Earth observed record warmth for the second consecutive year, with the 2015 annual global surface temperature surpassing the previous record by more than 0.1°C and exceeding the average for the mid- to late 19th century—commonly considered representative of preindustrial conditions—by more than 1°C for the first time. Above Earth’s surface, lower troposphere temperatures were near-record high.
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:
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...
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. Ove...
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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 ...
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:
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...
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...
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