Record-Warm Category in May - DTN The Progressive Farmer

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Asia had its warmest May on record at 3.76 degrees F (2.09 degrees C) above average, surpassing the now second-warmest May set in 2012 by 0.45 degree F (0.25 degree C). May 2020 also marked the first time Asia's May temperature departure from average surpassed 3.6 degrees F (2.0 degree C). Africa, South America, and the Caribbean region had a May temperature that ranked among the six warmest Mays on record.

The global land-only surface temperature for May 2020 was also the highest on record at 2.50 degrees F (1.39 degrees C) above the 20th century average of 52.0 degrees F (11.1 degrees C). This was 0.07 degree F (0.04 degree C) above the previous record set in 2012. The 10 highest global land-only surface temperature departures have occurred since 2010.

The May average Arctic sea ice extent was the fourth-smallest in the 42-year record at 359,000 square miles (7.0%) below the 1981-2010 average, according to analysis by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) using data from NOAA and NASA. Below-average May sea ice extent was present across parts of the Barents and Chukchi Seas.

The Antarctic sea ice extent during May 2020 was 130,000 square miles (3.3%) below the 1981-2010 average and the 15th smallest May sea ice extent on record. May 2020 marked the fifth consecutive May with sea ice extent below average.

The Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent during May was 910,000 square miles below the 1981-2010 average and sixth-smallest May snow cover extent in the 54-year period of record. The North American snow cover extent was near average, while Eurasia had its third-smallest May snow cover extent on record.

March-May 2020 was the second-highest such period in the 141-year record, with a temperature 1.91 degrees F (1.06 degrees C) above the 20th-century average of 56.7 degrees F (13.7 degrees C). The three-month period of March-May 2016 had a higher temperature departure at 2.03 degrees F (1.13 degrees C).

The Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere had their second- and third-warmest March-May period on record, respectively.

The three-month period was record warm for South America, Asia and the Gulf of Mexico region. Meanwhile the Caribbean region and Africa had their second- and third-warmest such period, respectively, since regional records began in 1910.

During March-May 2020, much of northern Asia had temperatures that were 5.4 degrees F (3.0 degrees C) above average or higher. The most notable cooler-than-average temperatures of 3.6 degrees F (2.0 degrees C) below average or cooler were present across much of Canada.

The year-to-date global surface temperature was also the second highest in the 141-year record at 1.98 degrees F (1.10 degrees C) above the 20th-century average of 55.5 degrees F (13.1 degrees C). This value is only 0.11 degree F (0.06 degree C) less than the record set in 2016.

South America, Europe, Asia and the Gulf of Mexico region had their warmest January-May period on record. The Caribbean region and Africa had a January-May temperature that ranked among the three highest on record.

The period was characterized by warmer-than-average temperatures across much of the global land and ocean surfaces. The most notable warm temperature departures were present across much of the northern half of Asia, where temperatures were at least 6.3 degrees F (3.5 degrees C) above average. Meanwhile, the most notable cool temperature departures of minus 2.7 degrees F (minus 1.5 degrees C) or cooler were present across much of Alaska.

Record warm January-May temperatures were present across parts of the Atlantic, southern Pacific, and southern Indian oceans, as well as Europe, southern North America, South America, Africa and across a large portion of northern Asia. Unusually warm conditions have been present across northern Asia since the start of the year.

According to a statistical analysis done by NCEI scientists, the year 2020 is very likely (above 99.9% chance) to rank among the five warmest years on record.

The above summary is from the NOAA NCEI report. The full report is available at this link: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/…

Bryce Anderson can be reached at bryce.anderson@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @BAndersonDTN