CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN THE WORLD IN 2008

Abstract

The year 2008 was one of the ten warmest years in the world in the last 160 years, and precipitation was also above average. The temperature deviation was highly positive especially in northernmost areas, while parts of the Pacific Ocean were significantly colder than average due to the La Ni a phenomenon at the beginning of the year. Many areas were affected by catastrophic weather events: for example parts of Asia and Africa by severe cold in January, Costa Rica by abundant rainfall in October and parts of Australia and South America by an extreme drought. The extent of the Arctic sea ice was extremely low during the summer and autumn for the second year in row. The extent of snow coverage in the northern hemisphere was also extraordinary.