WMO statement on the status of the global climate in 2012WMO-No. 1108WMO in collaboration with Members issues since 1993 annual statements on the status of the global climate. This publication was issued in collaboration with the nulladlenullnullentre of the nullnullMeteorological Ofnullcenull nullnited nullingdom of nullreat nullritain and Northern nullrelandnull the nulllimatic nullesearch nullnit nullnullnullnullnullnull nullninullersitnullof nullast nullnglianull nited nullingdomnullthe nulllimate nullrediction nullenter nullnullnullnullnullnullthe National nulllimatic nullta nullenter nullNnullnullnullnullnull the National nullnnullironmental nullatellitenull nullatanull and nullnation nullernullice nullNnullnullnullnullnullnullnull the National nullurricane nullenter nullNnullnullnull and the National Weather nullernullice nullNWnullnull of the National Oceanic and nulltmospheric nulldministration nullNOnullnullnullnull nited nulltates of nullmericanullthe nulloddard nullnstitute for nullpace nulltudies nullnullnullnullnullnulloper -ated bnullthe National nulleronautics and nullpace nulldministration nullNnullnullnullnullnull nited nulltatesnullthe National nullnow and nullce nullta nullenter nullNnullnullnullnullnullnull nited nulltatesnullthe nulluropean nullentre for Medium-nullange Weather nullorecasts nullnullnullMWnullnullnull nited nullingdomnullthe nulllobal nullrecipitation nulllimatolognull entre nullnullnullnullnullnullnull ermannullnulland the nulllobal nullnow nullaboratornullnull utgers nullninullersitnullnull nited nulltates. Other contributors are the National Meteorological and nullnulldrological nullernullices or enulluinullalent climate institutions of nullrgentinanull nullrmenianull nullustralianull nullosnia and nullernullegonullinanull ulgarianull anadanull hinanull olombianull nullprusnull nullech nullepublicnull enmarnullnull stonianull inullinull inlandnullnullrancenull nulleorgianull nullermannullnull nulluineanull nullungarnullnull nullcelandnull nullndianull nullran nullnullslamic nullepublic ofnullnull nullrelandnull nullsraelnull nullapannullnullordannull nullennullanull nullatnullianull nullithuanianull nullunullembourgnull Menulliconull Morocconull Nigerianull Norwanullnull nullolandnull nullortugalnullnullepublic of Moldonullanull nullomanianull nullssian nullederationnull nullerbianull nullonullanullianull nullonullenianull nullouth nullfricanull nullpainnull nullwedennullnullwitnullerlandnullThailandnullTunisianullTurnullenullnull nullrainenull nited nullingdomnull nited nullepublic of Tannullania and nullnited nulltates. The WMO nullegional nullssociation nullnull nulluropenull egional nulllimate nullentre on nulllimate Monitoringnullthe nullfrican nullentre of Meteorological nullpplications for nullenulllopment nullnullnullMnullnullnull Niamenullnullnull the nullaribbean nullnstitute for Meteorolognulland nullnulldrolognull nullnullMnullnullnullthe nulluropean nullpace nullgencnull nullnullnullnullnullthe nullong nullong ObsernullatornullnullnullnullOnullnull nullong nullongnull nullhinanull the nullienna nullninullersitnull of Technolognullnull nullustrianull the nullnternational nullesearch nullentre on nulll Ninullo nullnullnullnullnullnullNnull nulluanullanulluilnull nullcuadornullnull the nulllobal nulltmosphere Watch nullnullnullWnull and the World nulllimate nullesearch nullrogramme nullWnullnullnullnullalso contributed.WMO-No. 1108 World Meteorological Organization, 2013The right of publication in printnull electronic and annull other and in annull language is resernulled bnull WMO. nullhort enulltracts from WMO publications manull be reproduced without authorinullationnull pronullided that the complete source is clearlnull indicated. nullditorial correspondence and renulluests to publishnull reproduce or translate this publication in part or in whole should be addressed tonullnullhairnullnullublications nulloardWorld Meteorological Organinullation nullWMOnullnullbisnullanullenue de la nullainull Tel.nullnullnull1 null0nullnullnullnull30 8null03null.O. nullonullnull300 nullanullnullnullnull1 null0nullnullnullnull30 80 null0nullnull-1null11 nullenenulla nullnullnullwitnullerland null-mailnullnullublicationsnullwmo.intnullnullnullN 9null8-9null-null3-11108-1NOTnullThe designations emplonulled in WMO publications and the presentation of material in this publication do not implnullthe enullpression of annullopinion what -soenuller on the part of WMO concerning the legal status of annullcountrnullnullterritornullnullcitnullor areanullor of its authoritiesnullor concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.The mention of specinullc companies or products does not implnullthat thenullare endorsed or recommended bnullWMO in preference to others of a similar nature which are not mentioned or adnullertised.The nullndingsnullinterpretations and conclusions enullpressed in WMO publications with named authors are those of the authors alone and do not neces -sarilnullrenullect those of WMO or its Members.nullonuller illustrationnullnullandra nullunningham nullContentsForeword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Preface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Key findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Global temperatures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Global precipitation and northern hemisphere snow cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7State of the ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Major extreme events and impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10State of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in 2011. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12nullolar onullone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1nullRegional climate features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14nullfrica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1nullnullsia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1nullSouth nullmerica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19nullorth nullmericanullnullentral nullmerica and the nullaribbean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Southnullnullest nullacinullc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2nullnullurope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2nullTropical cyclones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Tnulle use of nullartnullonullsernullation satellites for soil moisture monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323ForewordSince its initial publication in 199null bnull the nullorld Meteorological nullrganinullationnull the annual nullnullMnull Statement on the Status of the Global nulllimatenull has continued to gain in popularitnulland importancenull nullhe Statement is produced bnull the nullMnull nullommission for nulllimatolognull in cooperation with the 191 Members of nullMnullnullnullt gathers together the nullenull climate events of each nullearnull nullhe series stands todanull as an internullnationallnull recogninullednull authoritative source of ination for the scientinullc communitnullnull the media and the public at largenull null am connulldent that this 2012 edition will further contribute to the success of the seriesnullnullespite the cooling innulluence of a nulla nullinulla episode earlnullin the nullearnull2012 joined the ten previous nullears as one of the warmest null at ninth place null on recordnull nulllthough the rate of warming varies from nullear to nullear due to natural variabilitnull caused bnullthe null nullinullonullnulla nullinulla cnullclenull volcanic eruptions and other phenomenanullthe sustained warming of the lower atmosphere is a worrisome signnullnullhe continued upward trend in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and the consenulluent increase in radiative forcing of the nullarthnulls atmosphere connullrm that the warming will continuenullnullhe record loss of nullrctic sea ice in nullugustnull September null 1null per cent below the previous record low of nullnull17 million nullm2in 2007 null was also a clear and alarming sign of climate changenull nullhe nullear 2012 saw mannull other extremes as wellnullsuch as droughts and tropical cnullclonesnull nullatural climate variabilitnullhas alwanulls resulted in such extremesnull but the phnullsical characteristics of extreme weather and climate events are being increasinglnull shaped bnull climate changenull nullor examplenull because global sea levels are now about 20 cm higher than thenull were in 1nullnull0nullstorms such as nullurricane Sandy are bringing more coastal nullooding than thenull would have otherwisenullnullurricane Sandy nullilled close to 100 people and caused major destruction in the nullaribbean before developing further strength and causnulling tens of billions of nullS dollars in damage and around 1null0 deaths in the eastern nullnited States of nullericanull nullnullphoon Bophanull the deadliest tropical cnullclone of the nullearnull hit the nullhilippines nulltwice null in nullecembernull nulluring the nullearnull the nullnited States and southnulleastern nullurope experienced extreme drought conditionsnullwhile nullest nullfrica was severelnull hit bnull extreme nulloodingnull nullhe populanulltions of nulluropenullnorthern nullfrica and nullsia were acutelnull affected bnull extreme cold and snow conditionsnull Severe nullooding occurred in nullanullistan for a third consecutive nullearnullnullvernull single life lost to weather and waternullrelated disasters is a tragednullnull nullortunatelnullnull such tragedies are being steadilnull reduced thannulls to improved earlnull warning snullstems opernullated 2null hours a danull bnull the worldnulls nullational Meteorological and nullnulldrological Servicesnullthe enhanced snullill and reliabilitnull of numerical weather prediction modelsnull and advances in radarnull satellite and other weathernull climate and water observing snullstemsnullnullew scientific paradigms must be further explored if decisionnullmanulling is to benenullt from advances in our understanding and prediction of the climate snullstemnullnulln recent nullearsnullclimate change has been recogninulled as an aggravating factor of climate variabilitnullnull nulllimate change has also become a source of uncertaintnullfor plan nullners and decisionnullmanullers in climatenullsensitive economic sectorsnullnullt is vital that we continue to invest in the obsernullvations and research that will improve our nullnowledge about climate variabilitnull and climate changenull nulle need to better understand how much of the extra heat captured bnull greenhouse gases is being stored in the oceans and the consenulluences this brings in terms of ocean acidinullcation and other impactsnull nulle need to nullnow more about the temporarnullcooling effects of pollution and other aerosols emitted into the atmospherenull nulle also need a better understanding of the changnulling behaviour of extreme weather and climate events as a consenulluence of global warmingnulland we need to assist countries in the most affected areas to better manage climatenullrelated risnulls with improved climate earlnullwarning and climate watch snullstemsnullnullhe Global nullramewornull for nulllimate Servicesnulladopted bnull the nullxtraordinarnull nullorld Meteorologinullcal nullongress in 2012null now provides the necessarnullglobal plat to in decisionnullmanulling for climate adaptation through enhanced climate inationnullnull wish to express the appreciation of nullMnullto all contributorsnull including those nullational Meteorological and nullnulldrological Services of its 191 Members that collaborated on and contributed to this nullenull publicationnull nulls with the previous edinulltionsnull null would linulle to underscore the importance of nullour feedbacnullnull nullMnull loonulls forward to nullour comments on the WMO Statement on the Status of the Global Climate in 2012 and welcomes nullour suggestions for its further improvementnullnullMnullnullarraudnull SecretarnullnullGeneral45nullhe present Statement is based on datasets and ination that were made available bnull MnullMembers and partners for 2012 and assessed in their global and regional geographical contextnullnullomparisons were made with climatological averages and records nullhistorical bacnullgroundnullwhenever possible and appropriatenullnullhe global temperature assessment is based on three independent datasets that are maintained bnull the nulladlenull nullentre of the Meteorological nullfnullce and the nulllimatic nullesearch nullnit of the nullniversitnull of nullast nullnglia nullnulladnullnullnullnull both in the nullnited nullingdomnull the nullational nulllimatic nullata nullenter of the nullational nullceanic and nulltmospheric nulldministration nullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnullnull based in the nullnited Statesnull and the Goddard nullnstitute for Space Studies nullGnullSSnulloperated bnullthe nullational nulleronautics and Space nulldministration nullnullnullSnullnullnullalso in the nullnited Statesnull he nulladnullnullnulldataset extends bacnullto 1nullnull0nulland the nullnullnullnulland GnullSS datasets nulland hence the com bined datasetnullextend bacnullto 1nullnull0null ther datasets have also been used for additional analnullsisnullnullhe content was developed and peernullreviewed bnull several experts afnullliated with international and regional climate institutionsnull centres and programmesnull and bnull the worldnulls nullational Metenullorological and nullnulldrological Services nullnullMnullSsnullnullthe main providers of the underlnulling obsernullvations and climate i