January was second warmest on record globally

WASHINGTON — Last month was the second warmest January on record globally, behind 2007, with temperatures 0.77 Celsius (1.4 degrees Fahrenheit) above the average for the 20th century, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Meteorologists calculated that the United States in January was 1.6 Celsius (2.9 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than normal, making it the 24th warmest January since 1880, even though there were record snowfalls in parts of the U.S. northeast.

China had its warmest January since that nation started keeping records in 1961 with last month 1.9 degrees Celsius (3.4 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than normal. Some areas in southern Siberia and far eastern Russia were more than 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than normal for January.

Parts of Norway were 5 to 7 degrees Celsius warmer than normal (9 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit), while Eastern Austria was 3.8 degrees Celsius (6.8 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than normal.

Northern Australia, eastern Canada, and parts of the southern and eastern United States were cooler than normal, but not too much cooler.