The La Nina cooling of the tropical atmosphere continued in March, with temperatures in the tropics falling to their coldest seasonally-adjusted temperature (-0.49 C below the 20-year average for March) since the La Nina of March 1989, according to Dr. John Christy, a professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center (ESSC) at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).
Tropical temperatures in March 1989 dropped -0.72 C (1.3 degrees Fahrenheit) below seasonal norms. Global trend since Nov. 16, 1978: +0.14 C per decade
March temperatures (preliminary):
– Global composite temp.: +0.09 C (about 0.16 degrees Fahrenheit) above 20-year average for March.
– Northern Hemisphere: +0.43 C (about 0.77 degrees Fahrenheit) above 20-year average for March.
– Southern Hemisphere: – 0.25 C (about 0.45 degrees Fahrenheit) below 20-year average for March.
February temperatures (revised):
– Global Composite: + 0.02 C above 20-year average
– Northern Hemisphere: + 0.25 C above 20-year average
– Southern Hemisphere: – 0.21 C below 20-year average
(All temperature variations are based on a 20-year average (1979-1998) for the month reported.)
