During 2022, the global warming trend continued unabated, making last year the sixth warmest on record since 1880, according to an analysis by scientists at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
During 2022, the average land and ocean surface temperature exceeded the 20th century average of 13.9 degrees Celsius (57 Fahrenheit) by 0.86 degrees Celsius (1.55 Fahrenheit).
This report was prepared by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and was briefed Thursday in a teleconference by NOAA and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officials.
According to the report released today, 2022 was the 46th consecutive year (since 1977) with global temperatures above the 20th century average. The 10 warmest years have been recorded since 2010, with the last nine years (2014-2022) among the 10 warmest years.
Northern Hemisphere surface temperatures in 2022 were also the sixth highest since records have been kept, at 1.10 fat Celsius (1.98 F) above average. While the southern hemisphere temperature was the seventh highest of the 143 years on record, at 0.61 degrees (1.10 F) above average.
What is the OHC?
The Global Ocean Heat Content (OHC), an indicator of the heat stored in the upper 2,000 meters of the ocean, reached a record high during 2022, surpassing what was recorded in 2021.
While the four highest OHCs, of which any are known to be recorded, correspond to the last four years (2019-2022), according to data from the report. The annual extent (coverage) of Antarctic sea ice in 2022 stood at 4.09 million square miles (10.5 million square kilometers), a low only reached in 1987.
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