Global temperatures were seventh warmest on record for July

According to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, the globe experienced its seventh warmest July since record keeping began in 1880. July’s Arctic sea ice extent was the smallest on record for that month since records began in 1979.

Global Temperature Highlights: July

• The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for July 2011 was the seventh warmest on record for that month at 61.43 F (16.37 C), which is 1.03 F (0.57 C) above the 20^th century average of 60.4 F (15.8 C). The margin of error associated with this temperature is +/- 0.16 F (0.09 C).
• Separately, the global land surface temperature for July was 1.51 F (0.84 C) above the 20^th century average of 57.8 F (14.3 C), making it the fifth warmest July on record. The margin of error is +/- 0.23 F (0.13 C). Warmer-than-average conditions occurred across Northern Europe, western and eastern Russia, and most of North America. Cooler-than-average regions included central Russia, Western Europe, much of the western United States, and southwestern Canada.

• The July global ocean surface temperature was 0.85 F (0.47 C) above the 20^th century average of 61.5 F (16.4 C), making it the 11^th warmest July on record. The margin of error is +/- 0.07 F (0.04 C). The warmth was most pronounced across Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea in the Northern Hemisphere high latitudes and in the north central and northwestern Pacific Ocean.
• July 2011 temperatures were above normal for all states and territories in Australia for the first month since April 2010. La Niña conditions during 2010/11 kept temperatures below normal across most of the country for more than a year.
• The United Kingdom average monthly July temperature of 57.4 F (14.1 C) was the coolest July temperature since 2000 at 0.9 F (0.5 C) below the long-term average, which dates back to 1910.The average minimum July temperature was the coolest for this month since 1980. Dublin Airport reported its coolest July in 46 years, with an average temperature of 56.8 F (13.8 C).

Global Temperature Highlights: Year to date

• The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for the January – July period was 0.92 F (0.51 C) above the 20^th century average of 56.9 F (13.8 C), making it the 11^th warmest such period on record. The margin of error is +/- 0.16 F (0.09 C).
• The January – July worldwide land surface temperature was 1.40 F (0.78 C) above the 20^th century average — the eighth warmest such period on record. The margin of error is +/- 0.36 F (0.20 C). Warmer-than-average conditions were prevalent across most of Russia, the Middle East, northern Africa, Europe, the southern United States, and Mexico. Cooler-than-average regions prevailed over the northwestern United States, southwestern Canada, and most of Australia.
• The global ocean surface temperature for the year to date was 0.74 F (0.41 C) above the 20^th century average and was the 11^th warmest such period on record. The margin of error is +/-0.07 F (0.04 C). The warmth was most pronounced across the Labrador Sea, most of the central and western Pacific, the equatorial Atlantic, and much of the mid-latitude southern oceans.

• Neither El Niño nor La Niña conditions were present during July 2011. According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, ENSO neutral conditions are expected to continue into the Northern Hemisphere fall 2011, with an equally likely chance of ENSO-neutral or La Niña conditions thereafter.

Polar Sea Ice and Precipitation Highlights

• The average Arctic sea ice extent during July was 21.6 percent below average, ranking as the smallest July extent since satellite records began in 1979. The extent was 81,000 square miles (210,000 square kilometers) below the previous July record low, set in 2007.
• The July 2011 Antarctic sea ice extent was 0.54 percent below average and was the 12^th smallest July extent since records began in 1979.
• Seoul, South Korea received more than 11.8 inches (300 millimeters) of precipitation on July 27, the heaviest single-day rainfall in the city since 1907.

Scientists, researchers and leaders in government and industry use NOAA’s monthly reports to help track trends and other changes in the world's climate. This climate service has a wide range of practical uses, from helping farmers know what and when to plant, to guiding resource managers with critical decisions about water, energy and other vital assets.

Yellowstone Forests in Peril? Frequent Fires Could Be the End of an American Icon

Wildfires that have been flaring up in the luscious forests and woodlands of Yellowstone are gradually changing the landscape of an American national treasure. The ever-evolving climate in the area is helping to increase the frequency of wildfires that burn hundreds of acres of forests to the ground. With rising temperatures speeding up the snow melting process in Spring, the landscape is able to dry out and heat up faster than ever before.

The last major outbreak of wildfires occurred in 1988, a time when over 1,200 square miles were left charred into twigs after fires roared on for weeks. Back then, conflagrations like these burst out almost every 100 years or so, but with the fires helping to heat the air above it and keep it warm in the long run, these wildfires will be able to grow larger and occur more frequently within the next century. Statistical projections show that by 2050, fires will burn on average about 400 square mile each year, but by 2075, those same projections predict the average to exceed the 1,200 square mile mark set in 1988. Although Yellowstone is covered by more than 10,000 square miles of forests, different wildfires in different areas of this size can spell doom for the woodlands.

Forests that collapse in these fires and regrow naturally, as the flares and ashes act as a natural fertilizer to help replenish the supply. If the fires indeed become more frequent, then more fires burning faster than the regrowth rate will create an eventual end to the iconic forests of a national landmark.

--Weather Intern Steve Engblom

Surfing the Sky

Undalatus Asperatus, sounds like a medical term or the chemical name for asparagus. Well, at least to me. However, these two words could be joining cumulus, nimbus, stratus, and cirrus; the cloud types that have not been tampered with since 1951. Undalatus Asperatus are Latin words which translate to agitated waves.

Recently, as more and more people are using camera phones, pictures and videos of such clouds are continuously being posted on the internet. They have been seen all over the globe and have been very common in the Plains states. These unusual, wave-like, ominous clouds are commonly seen in the morning or midday hours after a thunderstorm. As the clouds gained more and more popularity in 2009, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of “The Cloud Appreciation Society” started to work with “The Royal Meteorological Society” to promote the naming of this new cloud type. Scientists found themselves arguing over the new classification as some thought there was no need to add another classification to the list that they believe cover the whole spectrum of clouds.

The new name has been recognized, however it has not joined the classification list as of yet. The debate continues, but take a look at the pictures for yourself from the Midwest, and even New Zealand here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/jun/01/2?picture=348217732#/?picture=348217732&index=0

Also, check out these clouds in motion on our Wild Weather page, http://wearecentralpa.com/wildweather! The video is called “Waves in the sky? Who knew?”

- Weather Intern Jacqueline Layer