February 2020 Regional Analysis | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Continental Temperature Anomalies

Current Month

February 2020
Continent	Anomaly (1910-2000)		Trend (1910-2020)		Rank (out of 111 years)		Records
Continent	°C	°F	°C	°F	Rank (out of 111 years)		Year(s)	°C	°F
North America	+1.18	+2.12	+0.18	+0.33	Warmest	31st	1998	+3.59	+6.46
North America	+1.18	+2.12	+0.18	+0.33	Coolest	81st	1936	-5.16	-9.29
South America	+1.21	+2.18	+0.13	+0.23	Warmest	4th	2016	+1.71	+3.08
South America	+1.21	+2.18	+0.13	+0.23	Coolest	108th	1918	-0.97	-1.75
Europe	+3.86	+6.95	+0.17	+0.31	Warmest	2nd	1990	+4.11	+7.40
Europe	+3.86	+6.95	+0.17	+0.31	Coolest	110th	1929	-5.29	-9.52
Africa	+1.18	+2.12	+0.13	+0.24	Warmest	9th	2010	+2.55	+4.59
	+1.18	+2.12	+0.13	+0.24	Coolest	101st	1918	-1.09	-1.96
	Ties: 2013, 2009						1918	-1.09	-1.96
Asia	+4.09	+7.36	+0.23	+0.42	Warmest	1st	2020	+4.09	+7.36
Asia	+4.09	+7.36	+0.23	+0.42	Coolest	111th	1969	-3.85	-6.93
Oceania	+1.14	+2.05	+0.10	+0.19	Warmest	7th	1983	+1.86	+3.35
Oceania	+1.14	+2.05	+0.10	+0.19	Coolest	105th	1917	-2.22	-4.00

Year To Date

January - February 2020
Continent	Anomaly (1910-2000)		Trend (1910-2020)		Rank (out of 111 years)		Records
Continent	°C	°F	°C	°F	Rank (out of 111 years)		Year(s)	°C	°F
North America	+1.66	+2.99	+0.20	+0.36	Warmest	17th	2016	+3.21	+5.78
North America	+1.66	+2.99	+0.20	+0.36	Coolest	95th	1936	-3.45	-6.21
South America	+1.29	+2.32	+0.13	+0.24	Warmest	3rd	2016	+1.63	+2.93
South America	+1.29	+2.32	+0.13	+0.24	Coolest	109th	1918	-0.90	-1.62
Europe	+3.56	+6.41	+0.16	+0.28	Warmest	1st	2020	+3.56	+6.41
Europe	+3.56	+6.41	+0.16	+0.28	Coolest	111th	1942	-3.86	-6.95
Africa	+0.92	+1.66	+0.11	+0.20	Warmest	11th	2010	+2.09	+3.76
	+0.92	+1.66	+0.11	+0.20	Coolest	100th	1925	-1.37	-2.47
	Ties: 2014						1925	-1.37	-2.47
Asia	+3.78	+6.80	+0.21	+0.38	Warmest	1st	2020	+3.78	+6.80
Asia	+3.78	+6.80	+0.21	+0.38	Coolest	111th	1969	-3.56	-6.41
Oceania	+1.29	+2.32	+0.12	+0.21	Warmest	3rd	2019	+1.89	+3.40
Oceania	+1.29	+2.32	+0.12	+0.21	Coolest	109th	1917	-1.59	-2.86

Seasonal

December 2019 - February 2020
Continent	Anomaly (1910-2000)		Trend (1910-2020)		Rank (out of 111 years)		Records
Continent	°C	°F	°C	°F	Rank (out of 111 years)		Year(s)	°C	°F
North America	+1.67	+3.01	+0.19	+0.33	Warmest	12th	2016	+3.22	+5.80
North America	+1.67	+3.01	+0.19	+0.33	Coolest	100th	1918	-2.65	-4.77
South America	+1.26	+2.27	+0.13	+0.24	Warmest	2nd	2016	+1.60	+2.88
South America	+1.26	+2.27	+0.13	+0.24	Coolest	110th	1918	-0.79	-1.42
Europe	+3.29	+5.92	+0.14	+0.25	Warmest	1st	2020	+3.29	+5.92
Europe	+3.29	+5.92	+0.14	+0.25	Coolest	111th	1942	-3.11	-5.60
Africa	+1.06	+1.91	+0.11	+0.20	Warmest	5th	2010	+1.89	+3.40
Africa	+1.06	+1.91	+0.11	+0.20	Coolest	107th	1925	-1.08	-1.94
Asia	+3.22	+5.80	+0.21	+0.38	Warmest	1st	2020	+3.22	+5.80
Asia	+3.22	+5.80	+0.21	+0.38	Coolest	111th	1969	-2.73	-4.91
Oceania	+1.76	+3.17	+0.12	+0.21	Warmest	2nd	2019	+1.89	+3.40
Oceania	+1.76	+3.17	+0.12	+0.21	Coolest	110th	1917	-1.40	-2.52

Regional Temperature Anomalies

Current Month

February 2020
Region	Anomaly (1910-2000)		Trend (1910-2020)		Rank (out of 111 years)		Records
Region	°C	°F	°C	°F	Rank (out of 111 years)		Year(s)	°C	°F
Caribbean Islands	+1.09	+1.96	+0.09	+0.16	Warmest	1st	2020	+1.09	+1.96
Caribbean Islands	+1.09	+1.96	+0.09	+0.16	Coolest	111th	1910	-1.00	-1.80
Atlantic MDR	+0.82	+1.48	+0.09	+0.16	Warmest	3rd	2010	+1.26	+2.27
	+0.82	+1.48	+0.09	+0.16	Coolest	108th	1925	-0.90	-1.62
	Ties: 2016						1925	-0.90	-1.62
Gulf of Mexico	+0.63	+1.13	+0.00	+0.00	Warmest	19th	1932	+1.64	+2.95
	+0.63	+1.13	+0.00	+0.00	Coolest	91st	1912	-1.44	-2.59
	Ties: 2008, 1999						1912	-1.44	-2.59
Hawaiian Region	+0.53	+0.95	+0.07	+0.12	Warmest	23rd	2015	+0.97	+1.75
Hawaiian Region	+0.53	+0.95	+0.07	+0.12	Coolest	89th	1910	-1.39	-2.50
East N Pacific	+0.68	+1.22	+0.07	+0.13	Warmest	15th	2015	+1.33	+2.39
East N Pacific	+0.68	+1.22	+0.07	+0.13	Coolest	97th	1917	-1.36	-2.45

Year To Date

January - February 2020
Region	Anomaly (1910-2000)		Trend (1910-2020)		Rank (out of 111 years)		Records
Region	°C	°F	°C	°F	Rank (out of 111 years)		Year(s)	°C	°F
Caribbean Islands	+1.05	+1.89	+0.09	+0.16	Warmest	2nd	2016	+1.08	+1.94
Caribbean Islands	+1.05	+1.89	+0.09	+0.16	Coolest	110th	1910	-1.06	-1.91
Atlantic MDR	+0.75	+1.35	+0.09	+0.16	Warmest	6th	2010	+1.08	+1.94
	+0.75	+1.35	+0.09	+0.16	Coolest	105th	1925	-0.89	-1.60
	Ties: 1998						1925	-0.89	-1.60
Gulf of Mexico	+0.72	+1.30	+0.00	+0.01	Warmest	12th	1932	+1.40	+2.52
	+0.72	+1.30	+0.00	+0.01	Coolest	99th	1964	-1.07	-1.93
	Ties: 1916						1964	-1.07	-1.93
Hawaiian Region	+0.70	+1.26	+0.07	+0.13	Warmest	9th	1941	+0.99	+1.78
Hawaiian Region	+0.70	+1.26	+0.07	+0.13	Coolest	103rd	1910	-1.12	-2.02
East N Pacific	+0.71	+1.28	+0.07	+0.13	Warmest	11th	2016	+1.35	+2.43
	+0.71	+1.28	+0.07	+0.13	Coolest	100th	1917	-1.33	-2.39
	Ties: 1958						1917	-1.33	-2.39

Seasonal

December 2019 - February 2020
Region	Anomaly (1910-2000)		Trend (1910-2020)		Rank (out of 111 years)		Records
Region	°C	°F	°C	°F	Rank (out of 111 years)		Year(s)	°C	°F
Caribbean Islands	+0.99	+1.78	+0.09	+0.15	Warmest	2nd	2016	+1.07	+1.93
Caribbean Islands	+0.99	+1.78	+0.09	+0.15	Coolest	110th	1910	-1.05	-1.89
Atlantic MDR	+0.67	+1.21	+0.09	+0.16	Warmest	12th	2010	+0.99	+1.78
Atlantic MDR	+0.67	+1.21	+0.09	+0.16	Coolest	100th	1925	-0.80	-1.44
Gulf of Mexico	+0.75	+1.35	+0.02	+0.03	Warmest	12th	2017	+1.30	+2.34
	+0.75	+1.35	+0.02	+0.03	Coolest	99th	1964	-0.92	-1.66
	Ties: 2018						1964	-0.92	-1.66
Hawaiian Region	+0.94	+1.69	+0.07	+0.12	Warmest	2nd	1941	+1.03	+1.85
Hawaiian Region	+0.94	+1.69	+0.07	+0.12	Coolest	110th	1910	-0.96	-1.73
East N Pacific	+0.75	+1.35	+0.07	+0.13	Warmest	11th	2016	+1.41	+2.54
	+0.75	+1.35	+0.07	+0.13	Coolest	100th	1917	-1.44	-2.59
	Ties: 1940						1917	-1.44	-2.59

Background

The July 2015 Global State of the Climate report introduces the regional analysis report, which focuses on the analysis of temperature anomalies for six continents: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

The regional values, similar to the global values, are derived from the NOAAGlobalTemp data set. The continental polygons are composed of the 5° x 5° grid points with center points in the respective continents. Then, in a similar way to the global analysis, the grid points are weighted by their area and averaged to compute a continental temperature anomaly time series. The anomalies are computed back to 1910, the approximate date by which all continents have station coverage sufficient to resolve values at the regional scale.

This regional analysis complements the global analysis by allowing us to understand and describe the state of an important climate indicator across a continent. It also helps to place the current continental temperature anomalies into historical perspective, displaying how the most current month, season, or year compares to the past.

Please note that all continental anomalies are with respect to the 1910—2000 average.

Region Definitions

References

Peterson, T.C. and R.S. Vose, 1997: An Overview of the Global Historical Climatology Network Database. Bull. Amer. Meteorol. Soc., 78, 2837-2849.
Huang, B., V.F. Banzon, E. Freeman, J. Lawrimore, W. Liu, T.C. Peterson, T.M. Smith, P.W. Thorne, S.D. Woodruff, and H-M. Zhang, 2015: Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature Version 4 (ERSST.v4). Part I: Upgrades and Intercomparisons. J. Climate, 28, 911-930.

Citing This Report

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Monthly Regional Analysis for February 2020, published online March 2020, retrieved on May 28, 2024 from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global-regions/202002.