APRIL 2018 WAS 3RD WARMEST ON RECORD FOR THE GLOBE

An annotated map of the world showing notable climate events that occurred during April 2018. For details, see bulleted list below in our story and also visit https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201804. (NOAA NCEI)

An annotated map of the world showing notable climate events that occurred during April 2018. For details, see bulleted list below in our story and also visit https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201804. (NOAA NCEI)

Record and near-record-warm temperatures were felt across Europe and from Argentina to Australia, making it the third hottest April on record globally.

Let’s see how the Earth fared last month and for the year to date, according to NOAA’s latest monthly global climate analysis.

April 2018

The average global temperature for April 2018 was 1.49 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 56.7 degrees. This was the third highest for April in the 139-year record (1880–2018). Nine of the 10 warmest Aprils have occurred since 2005. April 2018 also marks the 42nd consecutive April and the 400th consecutive month with temperatures above the 20th-century average.

The year to date | January through April 2018

The year-to-date average global temperature was 1.37 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 54.8 degrees. This was the fifth warmest average temperature for the year to date on record and the coolest such period since 2014. The years 2015, 2016 and 2017 ranked among the three warmest year to date periods on record.

Continues below

More notable climate facts and stats

Minimal sea ice at the poles

  • The average Arctic sea ice coverage (extent) in April was 6.8 percent below the 1981-2010 average, ranking it the second smallest extent since records began in 1979.  

  • Antarctic sea ice coverage in April was 12.3 percent below average and the fifth smallest on record for April.

Warmer-than-average lands and oceans

april-2018-global-temperature-percentiles-map.png

  • The April temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.49°F above the 20th century average of 56.7°F and the third highest for April in the 1880-2018 record. Only April 2016 (+1.94°F) and 2017 (+1.60°F) were warmer. Nine of the 10 warmest Aprils have occurred since 2005. April 2018 also marks the 42nd consecutive April and the 400th consecutive month with temperatures, at least nominally, above the 20th century average.

  • The April globally averaged land surface temperature was 2.36°F above the 20th century average of 46.5°F. This was the ninth highest April land global temperature in the 139-year record.

    • Warmer-than-average conditions engulfed much of Europe during April 2018. Several central European countries had a record or near-record warm April. Averaged as a whole, Europe had its warmest April temperature since 1910.

    • Argentina had its highest April temperature since 1961, while Australia had its second highest April temperature since 1910.

    • Cooler-than-average conditions were present across much of North America, tying with 1918 as the 15th coldest April since continental records began in 1910.

South America and Europe led the continents in warmth rankings

SOURCE NOAA

 

WEATHER NEWSKenneth McDonaghmay, 2018