March 2017: 1st Time Ever Monthly Temps 1.8F Higher Than Avg. In The Absence Of El Nino

[hatrack]

https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*boaBRhbUWlnujk8p8Z2Keg.jpeg

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that last month set an unusual and unexpected new record for global warming. No month before March 2017 had ever exceeded the “normal” temperature (the 1981–2010 average) by a full 1.8°F (1.0°C) — “in the absence of an El Niño episode in the tropical Pacific Ocean.”

Why does this matter? An El Niño is “characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific.” El Niños generally lead to global temperature records, as the short-term El Niño warming adds to the underlying long-term global warming trend (see top chart).

So when a month sees record high global temperatures in the absence of an El Niño, that is a sign the underlying global warming trend is stronger than ever.

NOAA reports that both March and the year to date (January through March) were the “second warmest on record” for the world since global temperature records began in 1880. They were second only to 2016 which, of course, was a year marked by a major El Niño.

EDIT

https://thinkprogress.org/march-set-remarkable-global-warming-record-dfa2349c84c5

[OnlinePoker]

1. I really question this because of how much data they don't have

Most of Africa and half of South America are extrapolated info. But, for instance, the northern region of South America shows cooler temperatures than average on the data points in the land-area only map below but has been extrapolated as mostly warmer than average on the land and sea map.

[NickB79]

2. I see in your graph they didn't include the Arctic, however

And other reports have been showing insanely high temperatures in that area all winter long.

Your graph also shows very little of the Pacific, and as we've seen from the continuing coral bleaching currently occurring, and the massive flooding in Peru, large portions of the Pacific are clearly warmer than normal.