RClimate Script: Polar Amplification - 2000 to 2009

This RClimate Script lets users retrieve and plot the NASA GISS temperature anomaly data for 2000 to 2009 by latitude zone during the past decade. A link is provided to the NASA GISS data generation query page as well as links to my saved file of the GISS data and my RClimate script that users can run with a simple R source() statement.

Introduction

I’ve discussed polar amplification in this previous post.

NASA has reported that 2009 was the 2nd warmest year on record and that 2000 to 2009 was the warmest decade on record, based on global mean anomaly values. The increased anomalies over the decade were not uniform, as shown in this NASA image of 2000 – 2009 anomalies  compared to the 1951-1980 baseline period. (Click image to enlarge it)

NASA’s image clearly shows increased temperature anomalies with increasing latitude, with the upper Northern Hemisphere showing elevated anomalies.

Here’s  a plot I made with R to show the decadal anomaly by latitude zone. (Click image to enlarge)

This chart shows the significant increase in anomalies with increased NH latitude. While the mean latitude zone anomaly was 0.61 C, the maximum zones had an anomaly of 1.79 C.

Here are the data and RClimate Script links:

• Data Link (downloads CSV file)
• RClimate Script link

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