The amount of sea ice that survives the Arctic summer has declined by 12 percent per decade since the start of the satellite record in 1979.
Understanding Climate
Explainers, factsheets, reports, and other resources
Earth's surface temperature has risen about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the start of the NOAA record in 1850. It may seem like a small change, but it's a tremendous increase in stored heat.
The Arctic Oscillation (AO) refers to an atmospheric circulation pattern over the mid-to-high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The most obvious reflection of the phase of this oscillation is the north-to-south location of the storm-steering, mid-latitude jet stream.
The Southern Oscillation Index tracks differences in air pressure between the eastern and western sides of the tropical Pacific.
At least once a winter, a storm big enough to dominate the national news gets people wondering how to make extreme snowstorms make sense in the context of global warming.
The tropical Pacific climate appears to be leaning toward La Niña this winter. How have past La Niñas affected snow across Canada and the United States?
Around 90 percent of the warming that has happened on Earth over the past 50 years has occurred in the ocean. That excess heat is driving sea level rise, reducing sea ice, fueling stronger hurricanes, and stressing ocean life.
Forecasters think the climate system is poised to bring most of the U.S. a warmer-than-average June, and little drought relief is likely across the West.
What’s ahead for May, as we draw closer to the start of summer? Here’s what NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) expects to occur during the month.
Our interactive map shows the latest date of measurable snow recorded at thousands of U.S. weather stations, based on data through April 11, 2018.