Arctic Oscillation Left Its Mark on N. Hemisphere 2010 Temps
Running time 1:10
A pattern of unusually warm and cold spots alternated around high northern latitudes in 2010—a classic sign of the negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation.
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This movie shows maps of monthly temperature anomalies (differences from normal) from January through December 2010 for the Northern Hemisphere. Places where temperatures were up to 7 degrees Celsius warmer than average (1971-2000) are red, while places where temperatures were up to 7 degrees cooler than average are blue. Locations where temperatures were near the long-term average are white.
The pattern of alternating warm and cool temperature anomalies around the Northern Hemisphere high latitudes at the beginning and end of the year is a classic sign of the negative phase of a natural climate pattern known as the Arctic Oscillation. The pattern has the strongest influence on temperatures in the winter.
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Climate Patterns & 2010 Temperatures: Near-record Warmth, Strong Natural Variability
NOAA visualization by Ned Gardiner, based on Global Historical Climatology Network data from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center.