How cold was February?
Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) has just released their February 2012 satellite measured temperature anomaly data for the lower troposphere.
According to RSS, February 2012 ended up tied for 8th coldest February in the satellite measured record going back to 1979.
The global (70 degrees south through 82.5 north latitude) temperature anomaly for February 2012 was -0.121 C or -.218 F, making this the lowest monthly, global anomaly since May 2008 (also a La Nina year).
Once again, the highest concentration of "warm" anomalies were over the far northern latitudes, including Canada and far northern Asia.
However, as you can see by the RSS image below, much of the equatorial Pacific and especially northern Africa through eastern Asia was unusually cold.
Sea surface temperature anomalies are steadily rising now over the equatorial Pacific as La Nina begins to fade, but its cooling influence will likely persist into the summer thanks to the lag effect. Late this year and next year I predict we will see the climb in global temperatures resume once again.
The latest RSS global lower troposphere temperature anomaly trend since 1979. The trend is currently +0.135 C per decade.
----------
Acknowledgement
MSU/AMSU data are produced by Remote Sensing Systems and sponsored by the NOAA Climate and Global Change Program. Data are available at www.remss.com.
Report a Typo
