August Climate Digest

Overview

Each month, we will provide information regarding the previous month’s climate. August 2014’s average global land and ocean temperature was the warmest August since records began in 1880. The summer months of June, July and August were the hottest on record for the planet.

Highlights Dataset

Dataset: 20140921 EarthNow: August 2014 Highlights

Dataset: 20140921 EarthNow: AUDIO August 2014 Highlights

 

This dataset shows some of the major August weather and climate highlights from the National Climatic Data Center’s (NCDC) monthly global climate analysis, and serves as an overview of what can be discussed in the datasets that follow. Highlights are noted below.

• Japan: Wettest August on record.
• Austria: Coolest August since 2006.
• France: 10th. wettest summers since records began in 1959.
• United Kingdom: Coolest August since 1993.
• United States: 32% of the contiguous U.S. was in drought.
• Australia: 4th lowest mean temperature since national records began in 1910.

 

Global Temperature Anomalies Dataset

Dataset: 20140921 EarthNow: August 2014 Temperature Anomaly

Dataset: 20140921 EarthNow: AUDIO August 2014 Temperature Anomaly

 

• Using the real-time Monthly Temperature Anomalies dataset is a great way to convey where some of the warmer and cooler than average areas were in August,  including those mentioned above in the highlights.
• August 2014’s average global land and ocean temperature was the warmest August since records began in 1880.

 

Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies Dataset

Dataset: 20140921 EarthNow: August 2014 SST Anomaly

Dataset: 20140921 EarthNow: AUDIO August SST Anomaly

 

• The real-time sea surface temperature anomaly dataset is a great way to visualize the El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO)  in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
• Global water temperatures were at a record high for the month, at 0.65°C (1.17°F) above the 20^th century aver
• Remember blues indicate cooler than average temperatures and reds indicate warmer than average temperatures (white: average).

Snow and Ice Cover Dataset

Dataset: 20140921 EarthNow: August 2014 Snow and Ice Cover

Dataset: 20140921 EarthNow: AUDIO August 2014 Snow and Ice Cover

 

• Aside from helping to illustrate seasonal changes, the real-time Snow and Ice Cover dataset is a great way to convey sea ice change through time, including discussing how the current sea ice extent compares to other noteworthy years.
• The Arctic sea ice extent for August 2014 was the seventh smallest since satellite records began in 1979.
• In Antarctica, the sea ice extent was the largest on record.

 

Seasonal Outlooks

Be sure to check out the 3-month seasonal outlooks for October-December 2014.

• Global Temperature Outlook
• Global Precipitation Outlook
• U.S. Drought Outlook

Where do I find the datasets?

• First, check your SOS system to make sure it’s not already in the EarthNow category.

• If not, you can download the datasets and playlist files from this FTP Site.

• Then download and use playlist files at the top of the page (or create your own) and make sure they are in /home/sos/sosrc or /home/sosdemo/sosrc.

• More detailed information here

Helpful Resources for More Information

• http://go.wisc.edu/3nd6pg National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)

• http://go.wisc.edu/9y2618 About ENSO (El Niño/La Niña)

• http://go.wisc.edu/1nx2n3 NCDC’s Global Climate Report

Credits:

EarthNow Team
NOAA

References:

NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for August 2014, published online September 2014, retrieved on September 29, 2014 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/.