Thursday, January 13, 2011

More on 2010

So 2010 was not only the warmest year in the records, but the wettest as well (both NASA and NOAA data). NYT:
It was the 34th year running that global temperatures have been above the 20th-century average; the last below-average year was 1976. The new figures show that 9 of the 10 warmest years on record have occurred since the beginning of 2001.

...over all the year was not as exceptional in this country [USA] as for the world as a whole. In the contiguous United States, for instance, the NOAA figures showed that it was the fourth hottest summer on record and the 23rd hottest year.

Of course, it's the long-term trend is the most worrisome, as James Hansen said in a NASA press release:
Certainly, it is interesting that 2010 was so warm despite the presence of a La Niña and a remarkably inactive sun, two factors that have a cooling influence on the planet, but far more important than any particular year’s ranking are the decadal trends,” Hansen said.
The release also has a nice summary of the differences between the different temperature sets and base periods and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

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