NCDC Frequently Asked Questions
What is a temperature anomaly?
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What is a temperature anomaly?
The term “temperature anomaly” means a departure from a reference value or long-term average. A positive anomaly indicates that the observed temperature was warmer than the reference value, while a negative anomaly indicates that the observed temperature was cooler than the reference value.
What can the mean global temperature anomaly be used for?
This product is a global-scale climate diagnostic tool and provides a big picture overview of average global temperatures compared to a reference value.



