A Very Warm Year (2020)
A brief look at 2020 county-level temperature anomalies.
Global Temperatures
According to the NOAA, 2020 was the second warmest year since 1880. The warmest year was 2016. In fact, the ten warmest years have occurred in the 21st century (NOAA, 2021, January 14).
United States Temperatures
In the United States, 2020 was the sixth warmest year on record, 2.35 F above the 20th-century mean of 52.02 F (NOAA NCEI, 2023).
Centurial Means
In 2020, nearly every county in the United States was above their 100-year temperature means.
Weather Events
2020 also saw an unprecedented number of weather events, including a record 30 named storms in the Atlantic Ocean (NOAA NCEI, 2021, January 12). Below is a compilation of satellite imagery for 2020. If you look closely can see the effect of orographic lift along the Rockies.
A Year of Weather 2020
References
NOAA (2021, January 14). 2020 was earth’s 2nd-hottest year, just behind 2016. https://www.noaa.gov/news/2020-was-earth-s-2nd-hottest-year-just-behind-2016
NOAA NCEI (2021, January 12). Monthly National Climate Report for Annual 2020. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/202013
NOAA NCEI (2023, February 12). Climate at a Glance: National Rankings. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/national/rankings
