365 Days of Climate Awareness 140 – 2003 State of the World Climate

 

2003 World Climate Data

• Atmospheric CO₂ concentration: 375.15ppm, +2.56 ppm from 2002
• Surface air temperature anomaly: +0.65°C/1.15°F, 12^th all-time 1880-2021
• Precipitation below 1961-1990 global average
•  ENSO: Moderate El Niño till April; neutral for the rest of the year

Global Conditions

•  Above-average temperatures: western Arctic Ocean basin; South America; southeastern China; Russia; Australia
•  Below-average temperatures: European Russia
• Drought: northeastern South America; southeastern Africa; southeastern China; southeastern Australia; New Zealand; southern Asia
•  Extreme rain: Argentina; northwestern South America; Algeria; Tunisia; the Sahel (central Africa south of the Sahara); Kenya; Yellow River basin;  southwestern Asia (parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iran)

2003 Significant Global Events  Larger version

Though the El Niño event ended in April, its temperature effects were felt through much of the year. To date, for global air temperature, 2003 was second only to 1998. While boreal spring (austral fall) rain patterns were typical for an El Niño, the North Atlantic (boreal summer and fall) hurricane season was extremely active. Southern and western Australia, recovering slowly from 2002’s record drought, experienced a series of serious bush fires started mostly by lightning.

Following an El Niño event, typically conditions revert to La Niña, with resumed easterly trade winds bringing cooler surface water west across the Pacific tropics. However, in the months of May and June strong westerly tropical winds brought the warmer waters there to the east, dissipating any potential spread of cold water. This did not result in a full El Niño event, but did restore some of El Niño’s typical atmospheric temperature and rain patterns.

Northern hemisphere snow cover was slightly above the 1961-1990 average, with winter (2002-03) extents within the top ten for the past 30 years, and July snow cover at a record low.  Arctic summer sea ice extent had been on a downward trajectory since the late 70’s, and after 2002’s record low summer extent, recovered slightly in 2003 to roughly the same area as 2001.

Tomorrow: 2004 State of the Climate, North America and Europe.

Be brave, and be well.

AMS Annual State of the Climate Reports