Third hottest January on record - global surface temperature report from NASA GISTemp

According to GISS NASA, the average global surface temperature anomaly for January was 0.92 °C, which is 0.21 °C lower than the hottest January in 2016 and the third hottest January in the record (after 2016 and 2007).

Here is a chart of the average of 12 months to January each year. The 12 months to January 2017 averaged 0.96 °C above the 1951-1980 mean and was 0.07 °C hotter than the 12 months to January 2016, which with the latest data had an anomaly of 0.89 °C:

Figure 1 | Global mean surface temperature anomaly for the 12 months to January each year. The base period is 1951-1980. Data source: GISS NASA

Below is a chart of the month of January only. Hover over the chart to see the anomaly in any January:

Figure 2 | Global mean surface temperature anomaly for the the month of January only. The base period is 1951-1980. Data source: GISS NASA

ENSO year comparisons

Although there was no La Nina after the recent El Nino, I've kept the chart below just for interest. You can see the global mean temperature trend by month in the chart below, for the strongest El Niño years since 1950, which were followed by a La Nina. I've included the 2015/16 period for comparison. NOAA did indicate there was a very weak La Nina. The BoM ENSO update didn't, and is now showing neutral (but with a small chance of a weak El Nino later this year).

Not counting 2015/16, of the seven very strong, strong and strong to moderate El Ninos since 1950, there were only three that were followed by a La Nina. The chart spans a three year period. That is, for the 2015-16 El Niño and subsequent, it goes from January 2015 to December 2017, or would if the data allowed. (For a more detailed explanation see the HW articles: El Niño to La Niña years with more detail here.)

Figure 3 | Global mean surface temperature for strong or moderate/strong El Nino years that were followed by a La Nina. Also includes the 2015/16 El Nino for comparison. Data source: GISS NASA

Where was it hot?

Last month it was again very hot in the high northern latitudes. Parts of North America and Australia were also extremely hot, while parts of Europe and northern Africa were rather cool.

Figure 4 | Map showing mean surface temperature, anomalies for January, from the 1951-1980 mean. Source: GISS NASA

To give you an idea of just how hot it was in the high northern latitudes, this chart will give you an idea:

Figure 5 | Global mean surface temperature anomaly by latitude for January 2017. The base period is 1951-1980. Data source: GISS NASA