Monthly Report Summary Information

The Monthly Report Summary Information is a synopsis of the collection of national and global summaries released each month.


Global Summary Information - February 2014

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February 2014 global temperatures were 21st highest on record

Coldest February global land surface temperature since 1994

The majority of the world experienced warmer-than-average monthly temperatures. Part of Far East Russia, along with much of the northeastern Pacific Ocean, part of the western South Pacific, sections of the Arctic Ocean, parts of the western North Atlantic, part of the South Atlantic, the oceans off the southern coast of Africa, and the Adriatic Sea were record warm. Far East Russia and part of northern Scandinavia observed temperatures more than 9°F (5°C) above their February average. A small section of the north central Atlantic Ocean was record cold and many areas across central and northern North America and western Asia had temperatures more than 9°F (5°C) below their February average.

February 2014 Selected Climate Anomalies and Events Map
February 2014 Selected Climate Anomalies and Events

Global temperature highlights: February

  • The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces during February tied with 2001 as the 21st highest on record for February, at 54.64°F (12.51°C) or 0.74°F (0.41°C) above the 20th century average. The margin of error associated with this temperature is ±0.22°F (0.12°C).
  • February 2014 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Percentiles
    February 2014 Blended Land & Sea Surface Temperature Percentiles
  • February marked the 29th consecutive February and 348th consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. The last below-average temperature for February and the last below-average temperature for any month was February 1985.
  • The global land temperature tied with 1943 as the 44th highest for February on record, at 0.56°F (0.31°C) above the 20th century average. The margin of error is ±0.58°F (0.32°C).
  • The Northern Hemisphere land areas between 30°N and 60°N were 0.52°F (0.29°C) below average, tying with 1957 as the 60th coolest (76th warmest) for February on record and the coolest departures from average for land regions in the world during the month. The last February that was colder in this region occurred just two years ago in 2012. That month was 0.74°F (0.41°C) below average, ranking as 50th coolest (86th warmest) for February and was primarily due to cooler-than-average temperatures over most of Eurasia and northern Africa.
  • Some national highlights are included below:
    • In Scandinavia, many areas of Finland observed February temperatures 11°–14°F (6°–8°C) above average, with some regions in the north more than 16°F (9°C) above average. For central and northern Finland, it was the second warmest February in the 115-year period of record, behind only 1990. The February temperature for Norway was 11.0°F (6.0°C) higher than the 1981–2010 average, the second warmest February on record, also behind 1990.
    • The nationally-averaged temperature for Germany was 6.1°F (3.4°C) above the 1981–2010 average, marking the sixth warmest February since national records began in 1881.
    • In Canada, many regions in Ontario observed February temperatures among their 10 coldest on record and coldest in more than 30 years, with departures more than -9°F (-5°C) at some stations.
  • For the ocean, the February global sea surface temperature was 0.81°F (0.45°C), above the 20th century average of 60.6°F (15.9°C), the seventh highest for February on record. The margin of error is ±0.07°F (0.04°C). The average Northern Hemisphere ocean surface temperature outside the tropics (20°N–90°N) was record warm for February.
  • Neither El Niño nor La Niña conditions were present across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean during February. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, there is about a 50 percent chance that El Niño conditions will develop during Northern Hemisphere summer or fall 2014.

Precipitation highlights: February

  • Extreme wetness was observed during February over sections of west central Argentina, part of the northwestern United States, eastern Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, and western France. Extreme dryness was scattered across different parts of the globe, including much of Chile, parts of southern Alaska, northern Norway, western Poland, northern Africa, much of southeastern Asia, part of eastern Australia, and much of New Zealand.
    • Wet and stormy weather continued to impact the United Kingdom during February, particularly during the first half of the month. Following its third wettest January on record, the UK observed its fourth wettest February in the 105-year national period of record, receiving 184 percent of average precipitation. Some areas, including Herefordshire and Sussex, England received nearly three times their monthly average. In total, at least 12 major winter storms impacted the UK from mid-December through mid-February, resulting in its wettest winter on record. It was the wettest winter for both England and Wales, with their records dating back to 1766.
    • Most of New Zealand's North Island received less than 50 percent of average rainfall during February. As of March 1st, soils were much drier than normal across the region. Soil moisture deficits were not as extensive compared to the 2013 drought a year ago, but may have been been as severe in isolated regions.

    Polar ice highlights: February and Seasonal

      February 2014 Northern Hemisphere Sea Ice Extent
      February 2014 Southern Hemisphere Sea Ice Extent
      Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extent, from the February 2014 Global Snow & Ice Report
    • According to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the average February Arctic sea ice extent was 5.58 million square miles, 350,000 square miles (5.9 percent) below the 1981–2010 average of 5.93 million square miles. This was the fourth smallest February Arctic ice extent since satellite records began in 1979 and the smallest since 2011.
    • The February Antarctic sea ice extent was 1.48 million square miles, 310,000 square miles (26.3 percent) above the 1981–2010 average of 1.17 million square miles. This was the fourth largest February sea ice extent for the Antarctic.
    • The globally combined Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extent during February was 7.06 million square miles, 40,000 square miles (0.6 percent) below the 1981–2010 average of 7.10 million square miles. Global sea ice extent during February was the 15th smallest for the month, in the 36-year period of record.
    • According to climate analysis from the Rutgers Global Snow Lab using NOAA data, the Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent during February was 18.07 million square miles, 470,000 square miles above the 1981–2010 average of 17.6 million square miles. This was the 17th largest February snow cover extent for the Northern Hemisphere in the 48-year period of record, and the smallest since 2009. North America had its ninth largest February snow cover extent on record, while Eurasia had its 21st largest.
    • For the entire winter season, the Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent was 255,000 square miles above the 1981–2010 average, and the 18th largest winter snow cover extent for the hemisphere. The North American winter snow cover extent ranked as the 11th largest on record, while the Eurasian snow cover extent was the 23rd smallest.

    Global temperature highlights: December–February

    • The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for December–February was the eighth highest on record for this period, at 1.03°F (0.57°C) above the 20th century average of 53.8°F (12.1°C). The margin of error associated with this temperature is ±0.18°F (0.10°C).
    • The global land temperature was the 10th highest for December–February on record and highest for the period since 2009, at 1.57°F (0.87°C) above the 20th century average of 37.8°F (3.2°C). The margin of error is ±0.40°F (0.22°C).
      • Summer 2013/14 was warmer than average for Australia, with a nationally-averaged temperature that was 0.81°F (0.45°C) above the 1961–1990 average. This marks the 15th warmest summer for the country since records began in 1910 and is cooler compared with last year's record-setting summer that was 2.59°F (1.44°C) above average. This summer, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia all observed summer temperatures among their eight warmest on record, while the Northern Territory had its 28th coldest (77th warmest) average summer temperature on record.
      • Austria observed its second warmest winter in the country's 247-year period of record, behind only the winter of 2006/07, at 4.9°F (2.7°C) above the 1981–2010 average. Switzerland had its third warmest winter since national records began in 1864, while winter 2013/14 the Netherlands tied with 1990 for its second warmest since national records began in 1901.
      • In northern Europe, Denmark reported its fifth warmest winter for 2013/14 since records began in 1874, at 6.7°F (3.7°C) above average.
      • The United States, conversely, had its 34th coldest winter in its 119-year period of record, at 1.0°F (0.6°C) below average, the coldest winter since 2009/10.
    • For the ocean, the December–February global sea surface temperature was 0.83°F (0.46°C) above the 20th century average of 60.5°F (15.8°C), tying with 2005 as the sixth warmest for December–February on record. The margin of error is ±0.07°F (0.04°C).Similar to February, the Northern Hemisphere oceans outside the tropics (20°N–90°N) was also record warm for the winter season.