Just wondering on the subject header when looking at the two sites below as
the 2003 data is correlated. It is now 5 years since the warmest year of
all - 1998 with 2003 coming in at third behind 2002. 2000 and 2001 are even
lower.

http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate...jan-dec_pg.gif

According to the data contained above, more years (5) have passed since the
record was last broken than at any time since the rapid warming started in
the 1980's apart from the period 1990 to 1995 when one may conclude a forced
temporary cooling occurred as a result of major volcanic eruptions in 1991.
AFAIIA, such events have not occurred in the post 1998 period, at least to
anything like the major 1991 volcanic event which is well documented.

http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/...nn/global.html

Regardless of overall temperature, some interesting data in this report such
as:

"As shown in the time series to the right, mean Northern Hemisphere snow
cover extent during the winter season (December-February) was the second
highest since records began in 1967."

A very simplistic overall analysis which may miss many points but I will be
looking forward with interest to the trend as it develops for 2004 and where
the individual months come out compared to the long term average.

Happy New Year, whatever the weather - either locally or globally

--
Pete

Please take my dog out twice to e-mail

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do not represent the views, policy or understanding of any
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