Arctic sea ice extent smallest on record for January
Land and ocean temperature precentiles January 2016. (Image credit: NOAA/NCEI)
Warm start to 2016: The globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for January 2016 was the highest for the month since record keeping began in 1880, according to scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. January 2016 marks the ninth consecutive month to break a monthly global temperature record. Ocean surface temperatures were also record warm for the month, while land surface temperatures were second highest on record.
The average Arctic sea ice extent for January was 7.14 percent below the 1981–2010 average, the smallest for the month since records began in 1979.
More: Find NOAA’s reports and download images by visiting the NCEI website.
