Climate of 2002
April in Historical Perspective

National Climatic Data Center
14 May 2002

Global Highlights:

• Global average combined land and sea surface temperature was the second warmest on record for April
• Lower tropospheric temperatures were warmer than average
• April temperatures were greater than 4°C (7.2°F) above average across much of the U.S., Europe and the Russian Far East
• Above average precipitation was most notable across northern Brazil and Uruguay, with below average precipitation across much of Australia and southeast China

Contents of this Section:

• Introduction
• Global Temperatures
• Global Precipitation
• Microwave Sounding Unit Data

Above average warmth covered much of the United States, Europe, Australia and eastern Asia as shown in the adjacent map of blended satellite and in-situ data (base period 1992-2002). Cooler than average temperatures occurred across much of Canada and central Russia. The mean position of upper level ridges and troughs of low pressure (depicted by positive and negative 500 millibar height anomalies), correspond to areas of positive and negative temperature anomalies, respectively. During April 2002, conditions in the tropical Pacific continued to indicate a slowly developing El Niño episode.

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Temperature anomalies calculated from the Global Historical Climatology Network data set of land surface stations using a 1961-1990 base period also show the warmer than average temperatures across Europe, eastern Asia and much of the United States, with cooler temperatures over central and western Canada as well as Turkey to Turkmenistan.

Based on data available at the time of this report, the global land and ocean temperature in April 2002 was the second warmest in the 1880-2002 record, 0.57°C (1.03°F) above the long-term average Temperatures averaged across ocean areas were second warmest on record globally, or 0.43°C (0.77°F) above the long-term April mean Land areas were third warmest during April, or 0.94°C (1.69°F) above the 1880-2001 average which is 0.28°C (0.50°F) less than in 1998

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The global average land and ocean temperature for the period January-April 2002 was 0.70°C (1.26°F) above the 1880-2001 mean, the second warmest such period on record Temperatures averaged across land areas were warmest on record for January-April 2002, or 1.33°C (2.39°F) above average Two of the past four months (January and March) were the warmest such months on record (combined land and ocean temperature) Global temperatures have increased at an average rate of approximately 0.6°C (1°F) per century since 1900, but the rate of warming during the past 25 years is almost three times higher

Serial monthly global surface temperature departures with respect to a 1971-2000 mean are shown in the figure to the right The recent return to record or near record temperature departures is evident, and monthly global temperatures (land and ocean) have been warmer than the 1971-2000 average for the last 72 consecutive months

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During April, much above average precipitation fell across parts of northern Brazil, Uruguay and the Argentinian Pampas region Drier than average weather prevailed across much of southeast China, Australia and interior Europe Additional regional analysis can be found on the Global Regional page

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Temperatures in the lowest 8km (5 miles) of the troposphere were 0.20°C (0.36°F) above average, tied with 1995 as the second warmest April in the 24-year satellite record

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April temperatures were below average in the lower stratosphere, with a departure of -0.19°C (-0.34°F) April temperatures in the lower stratosphere have been below average each year since 1993. The overall cooling trend is consistent with the response to losses in stratospheric ozone while the warm anomalies in 1992-1993 are due to the warming influence of the Mount Pinatubo eruption which occurred in the Philippines in June 1991.

  For additional details on precipitation and temperatures in April see the Global Regional page .

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.

For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division: Climate Services Division NOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue, Room 120 Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: 828-271-4876 phone: 828-271-4800 email: ncdc.orders@noaa.gov For questions about this report, please contact: David Easterling NOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: 828-271-4328 email: David.Easterling@noaa.gov -or- Jay Lawrimore NOAA/National Climatic Data Center 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 fax: 828-271-4328 email: Jay.Lawrimore@noaa.gov Top of Page

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