Climate update for January 2010
13 February 2010
January 2010 was the coldest January since 1979 and the 8th coldest ever recorded.
January was also the 4th sunniest ever recorded.
Measure Jan 2010 Comparison* Rating Records start
Temperature 0.1°C -2.4°C -- 1914
Rainfall 99.5mm -48% - 1914
Sunshine 44.9hrs +30% ++ 1929
*compared to 1971-2000 averages, +++ exceptionally above average; ++ well above average; + above average; ~ close to average; - below average; -- well below average
COMMENT:
Dr Sam Gardner, Climate Policy Officer for WWF Scotland, said:
“January was bitterly cold and snow caused widespread disruption several times during the month. But it was also the fourth sunniest January on record. The arctic air that has chilled us since early December may continue for a while but it is a cool blip against a background of steadily increasing temperatures. No doubt we will see the occasional harsh winter month in future but they will become increasingly rare. This is highlighted by the fact that globally last month was the warmest January since satellite records began 32 years ago. [3]
“2010 is the year when the world’s leaders get another chance to come up with a climate deal but the UN deadline at the end of January produced no new promises on reducing emissions. It is also the year when Scotland needs to show it is serious about delivering on our tough targets of a 42 per cent reduction by 2020.
“We are already gearing up for WWF’s Earth Hour, our annual global climate change action at the end of March. We’re expecting hundreds of millions of people round the world to take part, sending a clear message to world leaders that we need them to seal a climate deal.”
THE YEAR SO FAR
January was very cold but was also the 4th sunniest January in Scotland according to the records which began in 1929. It was particularly sunny in the west.
Editor's notes
[1] Data from the Met Office http://www.metoffice.com/climate/uk/2010/January.html and http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/datasets/index.html with further analysis by WWF Scotland.
[2] The five warmest years since records began are 2006, 2003, 2007, 2004, 2005 (warmest first).
[3] Last month was the warmest January and one of the biggest spikes in global atmospheric temperatures since satellite-based data records began 32 years ago, according to data from one of the main surveillance systems, UAH. January data reported by Roy Spencer, principal research scientist at UAH http://www.drroyspencer.com/2010/02/january-2010-uah-global-temperature-update-0-72-deg-c/
[4] WWF's Earth Hour – 8.30pm, Saturday 27 March 2010 *Sign up and switch off to show you want action on climate change.*
WWF's Earth Hour lights-out initiative began in Sydney, Australia in 2007 as an awareness-raising exercise. By 2009 3,000 cities and towns in more than 80 countries were involved with lights going out in 66 national capitals and 9 of the 10 most populated metropolises on the planet. Over 800 of the world’s most iconic landmarks also went dark last year including the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower and the Pyramids of Giza. Here in Scotland, 19 local authorities, 200 schools and over one hundred businesses and organisations joined in by switching their lights off for one hour in a graphic demonstration of support for determined international action on climate change. Some of Scotland’s most iconic landmarks went dark including Edinburgh Castle, the Forth Bridge, Eilean Donan Castle, Glasgow's Clyde Arc (Squinty Bridge) and the Scottish Parliament.
http://www.wwfscotland.org.uk/earthhour
[5] WWF Scotland is part of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, an alliance of development, environment and civil society groups aiming for tougher action to reduce emissions http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/scotland
