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2008 Global Highlights

This report highlights the climate trends and significant events of 2008, including the sixth warmest land temperatures, the tenth warmest ocean temperatures, drought conditions in Australia, and monsoon patterns in India and Asia.

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2008 Global Highlights

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  1. 2008 Global Highlights Climate Monitoring Branch

  2. Global (Jan-Oct) Land ranked 6th warmest. Anom.: +0.75˚C (+1.35˚F) WYR: 2007 (+1.02˚C/+1.84˚F) Ocean ranked 10th warmest. Anom.: +0.37˚C (+0.67˚F) WYR: 1998 (+0.51˚C/+0.92˚F) Combined Land & Ocean ranked 9th warmest. Anom.: +0.47˚C (+0.85˚F) WYR: 2005 (+0.61˚C/+1.10˚F) WYR = Warmest Year

  3. Drought in Australia October 2008: Precipitation across Australia was 41 % below normal during October 2008, resulting in the 25th driest October on record. Exceptionally dry conditions were present across central and southeastern Australia. This resulted in South Australia having its driest October, Tasmania its second driest, and Victoria its third driest October. This was the second successive very dry month in these areas. Year-to-date rainfall totals are very low. Numerous locations are on track for record low annual totals. Parts of Australia have been experiencing drought conditions for over a decade. Source: Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology

  4. Indian Monsoon According to India’s Meteorological Department, the cumulative seasonal rainfall for the country as a whole was near average. Rainfall during the monsoon season (June 1 – September 30) was 98% of its long term average (LTA). Monsoon rainfall over India was 24% above its LTA during June, 17% below in July, and was near normal during August (97% of LTA) and September (99% of LTA). Intense monsoon-related showers during June led to Mumbai (Bombay) to experience its heaviest rainfall in seven years. Heavy monsoonal rain triggered devastating floods and mudslides, causing havoc across the region during the monsoon season.

  5. Asian Monsoon According to CPC, the Asian-Australian region had above-average precipitation during the last three months. Below average precipitation was seen over most of the tropical & subtropical SH & the Middle East. NCEP GFS predicts the Asian monsoon is entering its weak phase.

  6. 2008 Global Significant Events

  7. January winter storms across Asia and the Middle East China: The worst severe winter weather in 5 decades affected much of China. The adverse weather affected over 78 million people, destroyed nearly 107,000 homes, and was responsible for 60 fatalities. Uzbekistan: Had its lowest temperatures in nearly 4 decades. Middle East: Iran experienced its heaviest snowfall in more than a decade, while Baghdad, Iraq saw snow fall for the first time in living memory.

  8. NH Snow Cover Extent January 2008: NH snow cover extent was the largest extent over the 42-year historical record, surpassing the previous record set in 1985. Severe winter weather brought freezing temperatures and heavy snow across much of China and central Asia. This prompted Eurasia to have the largest January snow cover extent on record. March, April, & boreal spring 2008: Unusual warm temperatures, led to Eurasia’s least snow cover extent during March 2008, April 2008, & boreal spring 2008. March 2008 ranked as the 2nd least snow cover extent for NH, behind 1990.

  9. NH Snow Cover Extent January 2008: NH snow cover extent was the largest extent over the 42-year historical record, surpassing the previous record set in 1985. Severe winter weather brought freezing temperatures and heavy snow across much of China and central Asia. This prompted Eurasia to have the largest January snow cover extent on record. March, April, & boreal spring 2008: Unusual warm temperatures, led to Eurasia’s least snow cover extent during March 2008, April 2008, & boreal spring 2008. March 2008 ranked as the 2nd least snow cover extent for NH, behind 1990.

  10. NH Arctic Sea Ice Second lowest extent on record in September 2008, behind September 2007. Average sea ice extent during September 2008 was 1.80 million square miles (4.67 million square kilometers), which is 34 percent below the 1979-2000 average. Sea ice extent has decreased at a rate of 11.7 percent per decade, since satellite records began in 1979. The lowest NH sea ice extent occurs in September each year.

  11. NH Arctic Sea Ice Second lowest extent on record in September 2008, behind September 2007. Average sea ice extent during September 2008 was 1.80 million square miles (4.67 million square kilometers), which is 34 percent below the 1979-2000 average. Sea ice extent has decreased at a rate of 11.7 percent per decade, since satellite records began in 1979. The lowest NH sea ice extent occurs in September each year.

  12. Australia During January 2008, Australia experienced above average temperatures throughout much of the country. This led for the nation as a whole to have its warmest January on record. Western and central Australia had 5-7˚F above average temperatures. Australia’s January 2008 temperature was 2.21˚F above the 1961-1990 mean, exceeding the previous anomaly record of 2.09 ˚F set in 1999.

  13. Drought • As of February, Spain suffered from the worst drought in more than a decade, while Portugal had the worst winter drought since 1917. • Central and southern parts of Chile faced its worst drought in five decades (as of February 2008).

  14. United Kingdom The British Isles were affected by unsettling weather during the boreal summer. This resulted in much above the 1971-2000 mean summer precipitation. The U.K. as a whole and the countries that constitute the U.K., had June-August 2008 to be one of the top 10 wettest summers since records began in 1914. Source: UK Met Office

  15. Western Pacific Typhoon Season • As of 18 November 2008, there have been a total of 21 named storms. • 10 Typhoons • 2 Super Typhoons • The western Pacific Ocean had for the first time 3 typhoons formed in May since 1959.

  16. Typhoon Neoguri Developed in the western Pacific Ocean on 15 April 2008. Max. winds – 175 km/hr The earliest typhoon to strike China on record. The storm brought heavy rain, triggering flash floods and deadly mudslides. Three fatalities were reported.

  17. Typhoon Hagupit Developed in the western Pacific Ocean on 18 September 2008. Max. winds – 220 km/hr The worst typhoon to hit China’s Guangdong province in more than a decade.

  18. Tropical Cyclone Nargis Developed in the Bay of Bengal on 27 April 2008. Max. winds – 215 km/hr The most devastating cyclone to strike Asia since 1991. One of the deadliest named cyclone worldwide in history. Made landfall in Burma (Myanmar), resulting in the worst disaster ever in the country. Left nearly 78,000 people dead with 56,000 others missing.

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