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Tuesday, November 18, 2008
October the second warmest on record
Combined global land and sea temperatures in October were the second warmest on record, government researchers said today.
The October average was 58.23 degrees Fahrenheit, 1.13 degrees above the 20th century mean of 57.1 degrees, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. said.
The warmest October for combined land and sea temps was 2003, said center meteorologist Richard Heim.
What’s that mean for hurricanes? Warmer water gives them more fuel, though warming trends can also increase the wind shear that tends to break up storms, models suggest. The 2008 hurricane season became the first to include major hurricanes in five separate months.
There are no tropical cyclone threats currently being tracked by the National Hurricane Center.
