Large areas of colder-than-average weather made February 2014 the coolest February since 1994 for the Earth's land areas, according to the monthly global State of the Climate report released Wednesday by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. At the same time, portions of the world's oceans experienced record February warmth.
Land: Chilly February for Many Areas
The global temperature averaged over all land areas, but excluding the oceans, was still 0.31 Celsius degree (0.56 Fahrenheit degree) above the 20th-century average, making it the 44th-warmest February since 1880 over land. However, this was the lowest February reading since 1994, which was also the last cooler-than-average February over the earth's land masses.
Oceans: Still Very Warm
The globally-averaged sea surface temperature was the seventh-warmest on record for the month of February, coming in 0.45 Celsius degree (0.81 Fahrenheit degree) above the 20th-century average, with a very small margin of error.
According to the report, Northern Hemisphere oceans outside the tropics – i.e., north of 20 degrees latitude – were warmer last month than in any other February on record.
Globally: Warm Streak Continues
For the Earth as a whole, including both land and ocean areas, 2014 tied 2001 as the 21st-warmest February on record, with a global average temperature 0.41 Celsius degree (0.74 Fahrenheit degree) above the 20th-century average. The margin of error for this measurement was 0.12 Celsius degree (0.22 Fahrenheit degree).
The global reading was substantially cooler than last February, which was the eighth-warmest on record globally; but it was slightly warmer than February 2012.
This was the 29th consecutive February and 348th consecutive month overall with a global temperature above the 20th-century average. The last time any month was cooler than the 20th-century average was February 1985.
http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/coolest-february-1994-ncdc-global-climate-report-20140319
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