NOAA: Ninth warmest February since 1880

[Barrett808]

The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for February 2009 was the ninth warmest since records began in 1880, according to an analysis by NOAA.

The analyses in NCDC’s global reports are based on preliminary data, which are subject to revision. Additional quality control is applied to the data when later reports are received several weeks after the end of the month and as increased scientific methods improve NCDC’s processing algorithms.

• The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for February was 54.80 degrees F, 0.90 degree F above the 20th century mean of 53.9 degrees F, ranking as the ninth warmest on record. …
• The global ocean surface temperature of 61.25 degrees F ranked as eighth warmest on record and was 0.65 degree F above the 20th century mean of 60.6 degrees F.

(more)

http://desdemonadespair.blogspot.com/2009/03/noaa-ninth-warmest-february-since-1880.html

[Lost in CT]

1. I gotta ask how did satellites measure global temperatures in 1880?

I'm not a denier by any means but let us be honest... we do not have comprehensive data from 1880.

[Barrett808]

3. The surface temperature record is surprisingly robust:

FAQ
http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/cru/data/temperature/#faq

[Viking12]

4. The instrumental record dates back to 1880; the satellite record to 1979

There are 3 groups that calculate, compile, and track the instrumental data: NASA GISS, The Met Office in the UK(Hadley CRT), and the NCDC.

Meanwhile there are 2 groups that calculate, compile and track the satellite data: The Remote Sensing System team at U Washington (RSS) and the team at University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH).

While there are small differences in the data sets based most on the extent of the coverage, they are amazingly consistent with one another.

[pscot]

2. Obviously the global mean allows for certain anomalies

This has been the coldest spring I can recall, here in the great Peoples Republic of Washington. As I type this it is 33 degrees, and a mixture of rain and snow (make that all snow) is falling. The snowflakes are as big as dinner plates. I'm not complaining, or suggesting this implies anything about climate change; just commenting on the weather.