Forecasting Kitsap

Archive for October 18th, 2009

NOAA: Global Surface Temperature Was Second Warmest for September

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

We all knew September was a warm month locally, but it turns out we weren’t the only ones basking in the warmth. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA) released an article Thursday displaying the unusually warm global surface temperatures during the month of September.

Also, the National Climatic Data Center (or NCDC) reported “that the average land surface temperature for September was the second warmest on record, behind 2005. Additionally, the global ocean surface temperature was tied for the fifth warmest on record for September.”

The greatest warm anomalies occurred across Canada and the northern/western portions of the United States. While worldwide ocean temperatures were tied for 5th warmest on record, the “near-Antarctic southern ocean and the Gulf of Alaska” featured considerably cooler than normal temperatures.

And while Arctic sea ice has been running 23.8% below the 1979-2000 average, Antarctic sea ice was 2.2% above the average, the third largest September extent on record behind 2006 and 2007.

And so far for the month of October, at least nationally, temperatures have been averaging significantly below normal, so it will be interesting to see what the global output says come next month. To read the NOAA’s full article, click here.

As for Kitsap, we’re about to get a bit of a respite from all the rain lately. Latest forecast models are calling for a pretty tranquil Monday and Tuesday with partly sunny skies, but Wednesday a front moves through dropping another period of potentially significant rain. Thursday we dry out again before another system moves through Friday.

Believe it or not, this week may actually average out “normal” on October standards! I didn’t think that was even possible!

Have a great rest of your Sunday,

Matthew Leach

Forecasting Kitsap

Questions? Comments? E-mail me at: forecastingkitsap@live.com

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