By Kate R.
Posted on Sept. 22, 2009. Listed in:
This past August has seen some of the warmest ocean temperatures on record, according to a recent report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) in the United States.
The Ocean’s surface temperature was the warmest for any August on record, and the warmest on record averaged for any June-August (Northern Hemisphere summer/Southern Hemisphere winter).
Furthermore the combined average global land and ocean surface temperature for August was second warmest on record. Only recorded temperatures in 1998 were warmer.
The report also noted some other interesting finds, like:
• The worldwide ocean surface temperature of 62.4 degrees F was the warmest on record for any August, and 1.03 degrees F above the 20th century average of 61.4 degrees F.
• Large portions of the world’s land mass observed warmer-than-average temperatures in August. The warmest departures occurred across Australia, Europe, parts of the Middle East, north-western Africa, and southern South America.
• Both Australia and New Zealand had their warmest August since their records began.
• The Southern Hemisphere average temperatures for land and ocean surface combined were the warmest on record for August.
The NOAA specialises in climate and environmental science and delivers information on a range of issues like daily weather forecasts, storm warnings, coastal restoration and Arctic ice patterns.
Their website offers some really interesting animations, some of which depict the behaviour of the arctic ice shelf and show it’s variation in size over the last few years.
Their latest report suggests that a combination of forces at work including a natural El Nino system, worsening man-made carbon emissions and random weather variations.
Once again, findings like this point to more environmental problems in the future such as the melting of sea ice, more extreme weather events and the further degradation of coral reefs.
For more information on the report visit the NOAA website.
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