State of the Climate
Global Analysis
February 2003

Global Highlights:

• Global average combined land and sea surface temperature was the sixth warmest for February 2003 as well as for December-February 2002-2003
• December-February 2002-2003 temperatures were colder than average over the eastern U.S., much of Europe and western Mongolia with above average warmth across Alaska, western Canada, western U.S. and China
• Precipitation during December-February 2002-2003 was above average over the east-central U.S., the Mediterranean region and northern Mozambique while notably drier weather occurred across Scandinavia, eastern Australia, the North American Great Lakes, and western Canada

Contents of this Section:

• Introduction
• Global Temperatures
  • February
  • December-February
• Global Precipitation
• Microwave Sounding Unit Data

Introduction

The December-February 2002-2003 mean temperature was above the 1988-2003 average across western Canada and Alaska, the western U.S., and south central China as shown in the adjacent map of blended satellite and in situ data. Cooler than average temperatures were noted over the eastern U.S., much of Europe and Russia, and the southern tip of Chile. The mean position of upper level ridges and troughs of low pressure depicted by positive and negative 500 millibar height anomalies), are generally reflected by areas of positive and negative temperature anomalies at the surface, respectively. Warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures were observed throughout the tropical Pacific, the signature of El Niño conditions.

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February temperature anomalies calculated from the Global Historical Climatology Network data set of land surface stations using a 1961-1990 base period show below average temperatures in northeastern U.S. as well as in the Great Plains and Europe. Notable warm anomalies were present over Alaska and western Canada, Scandinavia and China.

Temperature

February For February 2003, the global average land and ocean surface temperature was 0.46°C (0.83°F) above the 1880-2001 average, ranking as the sixth warmest February in the period of record. The warmest February occurred in 1998, with an anomaly of +0.84°C (+1.51°F).

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December-February For December-February 2002-2003, the global average land and ocean surface temperature was 0.47°C (0.85°F) above the long term mean, or sixth warmest for boreal winter. Ocean surface temperatures were 0.43°C (0.77°F) above the 1880-2001 mean, or second warmest for December-February 2002-2003.

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Serial monthly global surface temperature departures with respect to a 1971-2000 mean are shown in the figure to the right. The recent return to record or near record temperature departures is evident, and globally averaged surface temperatures (land and ocean) have been warmer than the 1971-2000 average for the last 82 consecutive months.

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Precipitation

During December-February 2002-2003, much above average precipitation fell across the east-central U.S the northwestern coast of Australia and along the Mediterranean region. Below average precipitation was observed across Scandinavia, eastern Australia and the Great Plains to the Great Lakes region of the U.S. During the month of February 2003 , unusually wet weather occurred in eastern Australia, Uruguay and in the mid-Atlantic U.S., while western Canada, southeastern Brazil and most of Europe experienced drier than average conditions. Additional regional analysis can be found on the Global Hazards page

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Microwave Sounding Unit Data

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Temperatures in the lowest 8km (5 miles) of the troposphere were 0.27°C (0.49°F) above average during December-February 2002-2003, tying the winter of 2001-2002 for the second warmest boreal winter in the satellite period of record (1979 to present). Temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere for December-February were 0.31°C (0.59°F) above the mean Temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere for December-February were 0.22°C (040.°F) above the mean Meanwhile, temperatures for February were third warmest on record in the lower troposphere, or 0.25°C (0.45°F) above average

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December-February 2002-2003 temperatures were below average in the lower stratosphere, or 0.28°C (0.50°F) cooler than the mean Stratospheric temperatures in February were also below average globally, with a departure of -0.27°C (-0.49°F)

  For additional details on precipitation and temperatures in February, see the Global Hazards 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.

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