State of the Climate
Global Analysis
March 2004

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Climatic Data Center

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Global Highlights:

Based on preliminary data for March 2004, global average combined land and sea surface temperature was second warmest on record
March temperatures were above average throughout the contiguous United States, Europe, and southern and eastern Asia, with below average temperatures in southwestern Australia, France and Spain
Precipitation during March was above average across much of Russia, the Amazon Basin and parts of Eastern Europe with drier than average conditions across a large part of China, Southwest Asia and much of western Europe
Near-normal SSTs across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific basin are indicative of neutral ENSO conditions.

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

The two maps below utilize different base periods and may reflect different anomaly values of land surface temperatures. The dot map on the left uses anomalies that were calculated from the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) data set of land surface stations using a 1961-1990 base period. The map on the right is a blended product which uses satellite and surface anomaly values of measured land and ocean temperatures as well as SSTs with the base period of 1988-2004. Both maps indicate above average temperatures across the United States, Argentina, China, Europe and the Middle East while cooler than average temperatures occurred in Alaska, Canada, southwestern Australia and northern Siberia.

The mean position of upper level ridges of high pressure and troughs of low pressure (depicted by positive and negative 500 millibar height anomalies during March 2004) 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.

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Temperature Rankings and Graphics

Current Month / Year-to-date

March	Anomaly	Rank	Warmest Year on Record
Global Land Ocean Land and Ocean	+1.48°C (+2.66°F) +0.37°C (+0.66°F) +0.70°C (+1.26°F)	3rd warmest 5th warmest 2nd warmest	2002 (+1.60°C/2.88°F) 1998 (+0.49°C/0.88°F) 2002 (+0.79°C/1.42°F)
Northern Hemisphere Land Ocean Land and Ocean	+1.59°C (+2.86°F) +0.42°C (+0.76°F) +0.89°C (+1.60°F)	3rd warmest 2nd warmest 3rd warmest	1990 (+1.92°C/3.46°F) 1998 (+0.50°C/0.90°F) 1990 (+0.93°C/1.67°F)
Southern Hemisphere Land Ocean Land and Ocean	+0.91°C (+1.64°F) +0.34°C (+0.61°F) +0.45°C (+0.81°F)	3rd warmest 7th warmest 6th warmest	1998 (+1.07°C/1.93°F) 2002 (+0.51°C/0.92°F) 2002 (+0.60°C/1.08°F)

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January-March	Anomaly	Rank	Warmest Year on Record
Global Land Ocean Land and Ocean	+1.07°C (+1.93°F) +0.41°C (+0.74°F) +0.61°C (+1.10°F)	3rd warmest 3rd warmest 3rd warmest	2002 (+1.51°C/2.72°F) 1998 (+0.52°C/0.94°F) 2002 (+0.75°C/1.35°F)
Northern Hemisphere Land Ocean Land and Ocean	+1.20°C (+2.16°F) +0.45°C (+0.81°F) +0.75°C (+1.35°F)	4th warmest 2nd warmest 3rd warmest	2002 (+1.86°C/3.35°F) 1998 (+0.53°C/0.95°F) 2002 (+0.96°C/1.73°F)
Southern Hemisphere Land Ocean Land and Ocean	+0.54°C (+0.92°F) +0.40°C (+0.72°F) +0.43°C (+0.77°F)	8th warmest 6th warmest 6th warmest	1998 (+0.81°C/1.46°F) 1998 (+0.53°C/0.95°F) 1998 (+0.58°C/1.04°F)

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The most current data may be accessed via the Global Surface Temperature Anomalies page.

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Precipitation

The maps below represent anomaly values based on the GHCN data set of land surface stations using a base period of 1961-1990. The map to the left is precipitation anomalies measured in millimeters, the map to the right is the percentage of average (1961-1990) precipitation. During March 2004, much above average precipitation fell across the Mississippi Valley in the U.S., western regions of South America, and eastern Europe. Below average precipitation was observed in the western and southeastern U.S., western Europe and southeastern China.

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The satellite images below were acquired from SSM/I satellite data using a base period of 1988-2004. The map on the left reflects surface liquid wetness conditions, while the map on the right reflects snow cover conditions for the month. Snow covered areas that are normally snow-free during this month will appear drier than average on the wetness image since a wetness value cannot be determined for regions that are snow covered. Data in these areas that are normally snow covered are displayed as missing. This is due to the snow crystalline structure which produces a considerable amount of scatter and makes it difficult for the SSM/I to accurately read the surface conditions. The SSM/I products are experimental and are under continuing review and development.

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ENSO SST Analysis

Last week of the month's ENSO condtions Map

Animated loop

Sea surface temperatures were near-normal over much of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific (as shown in the adjacent animation of weekly sea surface temperature anomalies). A consensus of indices suggest neutral ENSO conditions. A comprehensive summary of March 2004 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 months to date during 2004 at the weekly SST page

Troposphere

The tables below contain mid-tropospheric conditions for March 2004. These temperatures are for the atmospheric layer centered in the mid-troposphere (approximately 2-6 miles above the Earth's surface) but which also includes a portion of the lower stratosphere. (The MSU channel used to measure mid-tropospheric temperatures receives about 25 percent of its signal above 6 miles.) Analysis of the satellite record that began in 1979 indicates that global temperatures are increasing in the mid-troposphere, but the magnitude of the trend differs based on the analysis methods used in adjusting for factors such as orbital decay and inter-satellite differences. The 1979-2004 trend for March is 0.03°C/decade based on data from the University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH) and 0.12°C/decade based on data provided by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS). The base period used in both data sets is 1979-1998.

March	Anomaly	Rank	Warmest Year on Record
UAH mid-troposphere	+0.29°C (+0.52°F)	3rd warmest	1998 (+0.49°C/0.88°F)
RSS mid-troposphere	+0.44°C (+0.79°F)	2nd warmest	1998 (+0.53°C/0.94°F)

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Stratosphere

The tables below display stratospheric conditions for March 2004. The stratosphere is located between 10-14 miles above the Earth's surface. Over the last decade, stratospheric temperatures have been below average in large part due to the depletion of ozone. The large increase in temperature in 1982 was caused by the volcanic eruption of El Chichon in Mexico, and the increase in 1991 is a result of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines. The base period used in both data sets is 1984-1990.

March	Anomaly	Rank	Warmest Year on Record
UAH stratosphere	-0.45°C (-0.81°F)	3rd coolest	1983 (+1.11°C/2.00°F)
RSS stratosphere	-0.54°C (-0.97°F)	2nd coolest	1992 (+0.90°C/1.62°F)

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Mid-tropospheric and lower stratospheric temperature data are collected by NOAA's TIROS-N polar-orbiting satellites and adjusted for time-dependent biases by NASA and the Global Hydrology and Climate Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). An independent analysis is also performed by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS).

For additional details on precipitation and temperatures in March, 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.

Questions?

For questions on technical or scientific content of this report, please contact:

Ahira Sánchez-Lugo:
Ahira.Sanchez-Lugo@noaa.gov

For general climate monitoring questions, please contact:

CMB.Contact@noaa.gov

For climate data orders, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services and Monitoring Division:

NCDC.Orders@noaa.gov

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State of the ClimateGlobal AnalysisMarch 2004

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Climatic Data Center

Global Highlights:

Contents of this Section:

Introduction

Temperature Rankings and Graphics

Precipitation

ENSO SST Analysis

Troposphere

Stratosphere

Questions?

State of the Climate
Global Analysis
March 2004