2005
and 1998 are the warmest years
on record
The global
mean surface temperature in 2005 was 0.47°C above the
1961-1990 annual average (14°C). This places 2005 as the
second warmest year in the temperature record since 1850.
The warmest year is 1998 with annual surface temperatures
averaging 0.52°C above the same 30-year mean.
The last 10
years (1996-2005), with the exception of 1996, are the
warmest years on record. The five warmest years in
decreasing order are: 1998, 2005, 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Averaged
separately, 2005 surface temperatures for the northern
hemisphere (0.65°C above the 30-year mean) are likely to be
the warmest and for the southern hemisphere (0.29°C above
30-year mean), the fourth warmest in the instrumental record
from 1850 to the present.
Areas of
significant warmth were widespread with large areas of
Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the Russian
Federation, Scandinavia, and the south-west USA showing
significantly above-average temperatures.
Large parts of
the North Atlantic and south-west Pacific Oceans were also
significantly warm, as was the Gulf of Alaska. Sea-surface
temperatures in the North Atlantic in 2005 were the warmest
on record.
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