Warmest March on record

The average temperature for March 2010 for Churchill was -11 degrees Celsius, the climate normal for March for Churchill (1971 - 2000) is -19.5 degrees Celsius.

In terms of global conditions, this past March has been the warmest on record according to a recent release from NOAA.

"The world's combined global land and ocean surface temperature made last month the warmest March on record, according to NOAA. Taken separately, average ocean temperatures were the warmest for any March and the global land surface was the fourth warmest for any March on record. Additionally, the planet has seen the fourth warmest January -- March period on record." Quoted from National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration. "Global Temperatures Push March 2010 to Hottest March on Record." ScienceDaily 21 April 2010. 23 April 2010 /releases/2010/04/100420225712.htm>.


Also of note from NSDIC is that arctic sea ice covered an average of 5.8 million square miles (15.1 million square kilometers) during March 2010. "This is 4.1 percent below the 1979-2000 average expanse, and the fifth-smallest March coverage since records began in 1979" (Science Daily article quoted above). Ice coverage traditionally reaches its maximum in March, but this year the maximum occurred on March 31, the latest date the maximum has occurred since 1979 when satellite records started.