The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s monthly global climate report for October reports yet another month of high temperatures. October 2020 was the fourth-hottest October on record, continuing the pace for the year to be the second hottest on record.
The 10 warmest Octobers have occurred since 2005 and the seven warmest have all occurred in the last seven years. Europe had its warmest October ever, surpassing the previous record set in 2001.
For the year to date, the global temperature was a full degree Celsius (or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 20th century average. This was just 0.03 Celsius degrees lower than the record set in 2016. Europe and Asia have had their warmest year-to-date period on record.
Other notable observations in the report included that Arctic sea ice coverage was almost 37% below the 1981-2010 average and was the smallest October coverage on record. The previous record was set last year.
Heat records were set around the world including parts of the northern and western Pacific Ocean, southern North America, South America, eastern Europe, the northern Middle East, the eastern Mediterranean Sea, southern Asia, and in small areas across the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
Despite the record global temperatures, the Northern Hemisphere’s snow coverage in October was the 10th largest over the past 53 years. The snow coverage in North America was the largest on record for October.
Adding in the extremely active hurricane season, with 12 hurricanes and 29 tropical depressions, weather around the world continues to be anything but typical.
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Remarkably warm October fuels march toward 2nd-hottest year
Photo, posted February 8, 2016, courtesy of Jasmin Toubi via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.
