Frigid temperatures this weekend prompt cold weather advisories

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Earth’s temperature hits just keep on comin’.

 that May 2020 ties May 2016 as the warmest May on record globally. 

The three-month season of March through May was the second warmest such period on record globally. The global surface temperature record dates back to 1880.

Here are some data points that provide perspective on the significance of the May 2020 numbers.

It is interesting to note that again we find one of the few cool patches on the May global temperature map includes Minnesota. The average temperature for May 2020 was 0.4 degrees cooler than average in the Twin Cities.

2020: Second warmest year on record so far

The May global temperature numbers place 2020 as the second warmest year on record to date. 

With five months of 2020 in the books, NOAA calculates a 99.9 percent chance 2020 will finish in the warmest five years on record globally.

If 2020 finishes in the top five warmest years on record globally as projected, that means the seven warmest years on record globally are the past seven years. 2019 was the second warmest year on record globally. You can see the unprecedented string of global warmth below.

It is increasingly clear with each passing year to climate observers that the climate change signal is kicking into high gear. The odds of this unprecedented string of global warmth being a natural climate occurrence is millions to one. 

There is a much higher chance of winning the lottery, or of being struck by lightning.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

May 2020 ties for warmest on record globally. The past seven Mays are the warmest in the global temperature record.

NOAA

Climate Central

Odds of climate warming being natural vs. human caused

May 2020 ties for warmest on record globally

Go Deeper.

Like this?