Global Ocean Surface Temperature Warmest On Record For June

[ensho]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090725120303.htm


The world’s ocean surface temperature was the warmest on record for June, breaking the previous high mark set in 2005, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Additionally, the combined average global land and ocean surface temperature for June was second-warmest on record. The global records began in 1880.

-snip-

•Terrestrial warmth was most notable in Africa. Considerable warmth also occurred in Siberia and in the lands around the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Cooler-than-average land locations included the U.S. Northern Plains, the Canadian Prairie Provinces, and central Asia.

-snip-

•Heavy rain fell over central Europe, triggering mudslides and floods. Thirteen fatalities were reported. According to reports, this was central Europe's worst natural disaster since the 2002 floods that claimed 17 lives and caused nearly $3 billion in damages.
--------------------------


tick, tick

(note: I used to do 3 ticks)

[robcon]

1. It's El Nino

El Nino Has Arrived

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration officially announced that we will experience the El Nino phenomenon this year through to 2010.

With a 1 degree Celsius increase in a band of the eastern Pacific Ocean, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration made the announcement yesterday. The climate phenomenon, El Niño–Southern Oscillation or ENSO, that warms the eastern Pacific waters, decreases trade winds, and shows up every three to seven years, last came in 2006.

It’s known to cause droughts in Southeastern Asia and floods in Central and South America, as well as bring damaging storms to the U.S. Possible below-average rains in Australia and Asia this could severely affect their crops in wheat, sugar and rubber.

But El Niño is also known to suppress Atlantic hurricanes.

The National Weather Service predicts increased vertical wind shear over the Caribbean Sea and this limits hurricanes, so they’re predicting an average season. But a recent paper in the journal Science predicts a change in this year’s El Niño, where it forms closer to the central Pacific, rather than in the eastern Pacific. It’s called El Niño Modoki, and this change predicts more hurricanes with higher chances of hitting land.

The next ENSO diagnostics discussion from the Climate Prediction Center will post August 6.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=el-nino-has-arrived-09-07-10

[Subdivisions]

2. Maybe this explains why this July in Texas has been the cloudiest

and coolest I can ever remember. It has been overcast and cool for days in a row here now. A couple of evenings this month I've even felt a chill. IN JULY! July here usually chases even the Devil into the A/C.

I understand it's going to be 105° in Portland, OR, today. Is that true? Geez!

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. Not in San Antonio it hasn't. 30+ days of 100 or better temps and no rain to speak of.

[Subdivisions]

7. Yeah, I'm just south of Ft. Worth. Been cloudy every day this week. And

a little rainy to boot. For example, it's currently just 82° here. It was 75° when I got up this morning. Usually by this time it's 100° with the hottest part of the day still to come.

Seems the line runs west to east just south of here and south of that things seem normal for July. Just started raining here.

[cascadiance]

6. Portland has been crazy the last few days here...

It's been hotter than hell, AND humid as hell. I just moved here from California in time for the coldest winter in ages too, now to follow it up with the record breaking hot weather happening here now. Aggravates a lot of other illnesses, etc. you might have. Which reminds me, I need to get ready to go over to Costco before they open at 11:00 AM now to see if they might have a new shipment of AC's over there. They're pretty much sold out every place here now.

[Subdivisions]

8. Stay cool, cascadiance. That sort of heat wave can take its toll where

people aren't used to it. My best to all of you up there in the Northwest territory.

[Forkboy]

3. Thanks for that.

:thumbsup:

[Uncle Joe]

5. Yes, but we've had El Ninos since 1880 when records began.

So while El Nino may aggravate the situation, I would imagine breaking the oceanic heat records is still attributed to the ongoing dynamic of global warming climate change.

[Cetacea]

9. When did they come up with the "El Nino" theory?

I didn't start hearing about "EL Nino" until the eighties. About the same time i noticed that the bay wasn't freezing over any more and birds that normally resided in the south had taken up residency in New England...

[ThomWV]

10. Where are the Hurricanes? Hot water means big storms

[alfredo]

11. Watch this animation

http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/multiyear.ice.quikscat.mov