Global Analysis - August 2007
Note: The data presented in this report are preliminary. Ranks and anomalies may change as more complete data are received and processed. Effective September 2012, the GHCN-M version 3.2.0 dataset of monthly mean temperature replaced the GHCN-M version 3.1.0 monthly mean temperature dataset. Beginning with the August 2012 Global monthly State of the Climate Report, released on September 17, 2012, GHCN-M version 3.2.0 is used for NCDC climate monitoring activities, including calculation of global land surface temperature anomalies and trends. For more information about this newest version, please see the GHCN-M version 3.2.0 Technical Report.
*The GHCN-M version 3.1.0 Technical Report was revised on September 5, 2012 to accurately reflect the changes incorporated in that version. Previously that report incorrectly included discussion of changes to the Pairwise Homogeneity Algorithm (PHA). Changes to the PHA are included in version 3.2.0 and described in the version 3.2.0 Technical Report. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about this update.
Global Highlights:
- Based on preliminary data, the globally averaged combined land and sea surface temperature was the eighth warmest on record for August, the seventh warmest on record for boreal summer (June-August), and the fourth warmest on record for January-August year-to-date period.
- June-August 2007 temperatures were above average in northwestern Africa, southern Australia, eastern Brazil, and most of Europe, Asia, and the U.S., including Alaska. Cooler-than-average conditions occurred in the southern parts of South America, northern Australia, and parts of the south central U.S.
- Precipitation during June-August 2007 was variable in many areas. It was above average in the central U.S, western and southern India, and in parts of Russia, eastern Australia, and eastern China. Drier-than-average conditions were observed in southern Australia, the southeastern U.S. and parts of South America and South Asia.
- Cold phase (La Niña) ENSO conditions continued to develop during August.
Contents of this Section:
The data presented in this report are preliminary. Ranks and anomalies may change as more complete data are received and processed. The most current data may be accessed via the Global Surface Temperature Anomalies page.
Introduction
Temperature anomalies for August 2007 are shown on the dot maps below. The dot maps, below left, provide a spatial representation of anomalies calculated from the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) data set of land surface stations using a 1961-1990 base period. The dot maps, below right, are a product of a merged land surface and sea surface temperature anomaly analysis developed by Smith and Reynolds (2005). Temperature anomalies with respect to the 1961-1990 mean for land and ocean are analyzed separately and then merged to form the global analysis. Additional information on this product is available.
Anomalously warm temperatures have covered much of the globe throughout the year. The January-August 2007 map of temperature anomalies shows the presence of warmer-than-average temperatures across all land areas, with the exception of the southern countries located in South America and the south central states in the contiguous U.S. Warmer-than-average Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) occurred in the Atlantic, Indian, and the Northwest Pacific oceans. Cooler-than-average conditions were observed in the Niño 1+2 and 3 regions, the northeastern Pacific and some areas in the southern oceans.
During the boreal summer, there were above average temperatures across northwestern Africa, southern Australia, eastern Brazil, and most of Europe, Asia, and the U.S., including Alaska. Meanwhile, cooler-than-average conditions occurred in northern Australia, the southern parts of South America, and parts of the south central U.S.
During August, there were above average temperatures across northwestern Africa and most of Alaska, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the contiguous U.S. Cooler-than-average conditions occurred in most of the southern countries in South America. Meanwhile, SST anomalies in the Niño 3.4 region cooled in August, indicating development of an ENSO cold event (La Niña). Please see the latest ENSO discussion for additional information.
The mean position of the upper level ridges of high pressure and troughs of low pressure (depicted by positive and negative 500-millibar height anomalies on the June-August 2007 map and the August map) are generally reflected by areas of positive and negative temperature anomalies at the surface, respectively. For other Global products see the Climate Monitoring Global Products page.
Images of sea surface temperature conditions are available for all weeks during 2007 at the weekly SST page.
Temperature Rankings and Graphics
Current Month / Seasonal / Year-to-date
Effective with the February 2006 report, NCDC transitioned from the use of the Operational Global Surface Temperature Index (Quayle et al. 1999) to the blended land and ocean dataset developed by Smith and Reynolds (2005). The differences between the two methods are discussed in Smith et al. (2005).
The 2007 January-August year-to-date period ranked as the fourth warmest January-August since records began in 1880 for combined global land and ocean surface temperatures, while the global land surface temperature ranked warmest on record. Meanwhile, the combined global land and ocean surface temperature for boreal summer (June-August 2007) was seventh warmest on record, and the land surface temperature was 5th warmest. As for the month of August, the land surface temperature ranked third warmest on record, while the ocean surface temperature tied with 1995 and 2000 as the ninth warmest in the 127-year record.
| August | Anomaly | Rank | Ties | Warmest (or Next Warmest) Year on Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GlobalLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+0.80°C (+1.44°F) +0.35°C (+0.63°F) +0.47°C (+0.85°F) |
3rd warmest 9th warmest 8th warmest |
1995,2000 |
1998 (+0.92°C/1.66°F) 1998 (+0.54°C/0.97°F) 1998 (+0.64°C/1.15°F) |
Northern HemisphereLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+1.00°C (+1.80°F) +0.41°C (+0.74°F) +0.64°C (+1.15°F) |
warmest 10th warmest 5th warmest |
2000 |
1998 (+0.95°C/1.71°F) 2005 (+0.65°C/1.17°F) 2003 (+0.72°C/1.30°F) |
Southern HemisphereLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+0.22°C (+0.40°F) +0.30°C (+0.54°F) +0.29°C (+0.52°F) |
33rd warmest 14th warmest 18th warmest |
1910 1995 1944,1983 |
1981 (+1.31°C/2.36°F) 1998 (+0.51°C/0.92°F) 1998 (+0.57°C/1.03°F) |
| June-August | Anomaly | Rank | Ties | Warmest (or Next Warmest) Year on Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GlobalLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+0.74°C (+1.33°F) +0.39°C (+0.70°F) +0.49°C (+0.88°F) |
5th warmest 9th warmest 7th warmest |
1998 (+0.90°C/1.62°F) 1998 (+0.54°C/0.97°F) 1998 (+0.64°C/1.15°F) |
|
Northern HemisphereLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+0.92°C (+1.66°F) +0.43°C (+0.77°F) +0.62°C (+1.12°F) |
warmest 9th warmest 4th warmest |
1998 |
2006 (+0.90°C/1.62°F) 2005 (+0.64°C/1.15°F) 2005 (+0.72°C/1.30°F) |
Southern HemisphereLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+0.22°C (+0.40°F) +0.36°C (+0.65°F) +0.34°C (+0.61°F) |
30th warmest 9th warmest 12th warmest |
1970 1981 |
2005 (+0.88°C/1.58°F) 1998 (+0.53°C/0.95°F) 1998 (+0.58°C/1.04°F) |
| January-August | Anomaly | Rank | Ties | Warmest (or Next Warmest) Year on Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GlobalLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+1.07°C (+1.93°F) +0.41°C (+0.74°F) +0.59°C (+1.06°F) |
warmest 7th warmest 4th warmest |
2002 (+1.00°C/1.80°F) 1998 (+0.53°C/0.95°F) 1998 (+0.65°C/1.17°F) |
|
Northern HemisphereLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+1.27°C (+2.29°F) +0.44°C (+0.79°F) +0.75°C (+1.35°F) |
warmest 5th warmest warmest |
2002 (+1.15°C/2.07°F) 2005 (+0.54°C/0.97°F) 2002 (+0.70°C/1.26°F) |
|
Southern HemisphereLandOcean Land and Ocean |
+0.48°C (+0.86°F) +0.40°C (+0.72°F) +0.41°C (+0.74°F) |
6th warmest 8th warmest 8th warmest |
2001,2004 |
2005 (+0.88°C/1.58°F) 1998 (+0.55°C/0.99°F) 1998 (+0.60°C/1.08°F) |
The most current data may be accessed via the Global Surface Temperature Anomalies page.
Precipitation
The maps below represent anomaly values based on the GHCN data set of land surface stations using a base period of 1961-1990. During boreal summer, above average precipitation fell over areas that include the central U.S, western and southern India, and parts of eastern Australia, eastern China, and Russia. Drier-than-average conditions were observed in southern Australia, southeastern U.S. and parts of South America and South Asia.
During August 2007, above average precipitation fell over areas that include parts of the midwestern U.S., India, and eastern China. Drier-than-average conditions were observed in southeastern and western U.S., southern Australia, and parts of South America, Japan, and South Asia. Additional details on flooding and drought can also be found on the August Global Hazards page.
ENSO SST Analysis
Sea Surface Temperature anomalies were below average across the eastern and central equatorial Pacific during August while above average anomalies were observed across the western equatorial Pacific. These conditions are indicative of a developing ENSO cold event (shown in the adjacent animation of weekly sea surface temperature anomalies). A comprehensive summary of August 2007 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 since 2003 at the weekly SST page.
References
Peterson, T.C. and R.S. Vose, 1997: An Overview of the Global Historical Climatology Network Database. Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc., 78, 2837-2849.
Quayle, R.G., T.C. Peterson, A.N. Basist, and C. S. Godfrey, 1999: An operational near-real-time global temperature index. Geophys. Res. Lett., 26, 333-335.
Smith, T.M., and R.W. Reynolds (2005), A global merged land air and sea surface temperature reconstruction based on historical observations (1880-1997), J. Clim., 18, 2021-2036.
