December 2005 Global Climate Report

Global Highlights:

• Based on preliminary data, globally averaged combined land and sea surface temperature was 9th warmest on record for December 2005.
• December temperatures were above average across much of the globe including Canada, the majority of the African continent, the U.S. Southwest, and parts of Siberia. Colder-than-average conditions occurred in the U.S. Southeast, western South America and parts of Asia.
• Precipitation during December was above average in the Amazon Basin, the U.S. Northeast, and southeastern Asia, with drier-than-average conditions in the United Kingdom, eastern Australia and the southern U.S.
• Conditions in the equatorial Pacific continued to trend toward a developing La Niña.

Contents of this Section:

• Introduction
• Global Temperatures
• Global Precipitation
• ENSO SST Analysis
• References

Introduction

Temperature Rankings and Graphics

Precipitation

ENSO SST Analysis

Click here for animated loop

• SSTs were below average in the eastern equatorial tropical Pacific during December, indicating the possible development of La Nina conditions (shown in the adjacent animation of weekly sea surface temperature anomalies). A comprehensive summary of December 2005 ENSO conditions can be found on the ENSO monitoring page. For the latest advisory on ENSO conditions go to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) and the CPC ENSO Diagnostic Discussion
  
  
• Images of sea surface temperature conditions are available for all weeks during 2005 at the weekly SST page

References