Global Ocean Surface Temperature Warmest on Record for June

The world’s ocean surface temperature was the warmest on record for June - breaking the previous high mark set in 2005 - according to the NOAA. Additionally, the combined average global land and ocean surface temperature for June was second-warmest on record (global records began in 1880).

The global ocean surface temperature was 1.06 degrees F above the 20th century average of 61.5 degrees F, and the combined global land and ocean surface temperature for June 2009 was 1.12 degrees F above the 20th century average of 59.9 degrees F.

This analysis was made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC.

The NOAA found that each hemisphere broke its June record for warmest ocean surface temperature. In the Northern Hemisphere, the warm anomaly of 1.17 degrees F surpassed the previous record of 1.12 degrees F, set in 2005. The Southern Hemisphere’s increase of 0.99 degree F exceeded the old record of 0.92 degree F, set in 1998.

Arctic sea ice covered an average of 4.4 million square miles during June, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. This is 5.6 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent. By contrast, the 2007 record for the least Arctic sea ice extent was 5.5 percent below average.

(NOAA)