Zack Labe

Climate Scientist (Atmospheric) at Climate Central | PhD | Sharing data-driven stories | Harrisburg, PA | Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are only my own

My research and communication interests coincide with disentangling patterns of climate change from climate variability using data-driven methods. Also, scary movie fan!

#Arctic #ClimateChange #DataViz #MachineLearning #OpenScience #Python #SciComm #Weather #wxMastodon #wxTwitter

My Research: https://zacklabe.com/
My Climate Change Visualizations: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-figures/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/zacklabe.com
Climate Central: https://www.climatecentral.org/

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2026-07-26T17:44:33Z

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Last Notes

2026-07-29 19:29:40 UTC

Sea surface temperatures are substantially warming around the entire #Arctic Ocean in July during the satellite-era. This is especially large in the Kara Sea. Note the blue shading mostly corresponds to areas of sea ice.
Data by OISSTv2.1. For more info: https://doi.org/10.25923/pz7y-3b10
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/117/004/918/255/629/268/original/a697863118cbd346.png

2026-07-29 00:32:18 UTC

#Arctic climate rankings are now in for June 2026: https://zacklabe.com/archive-2026/.
Unfortunately, still no new data available for sea-ice volume and thickness. #SciComm #DataViz #OpenScience #OpenData

2026-07-28 12:03:09 UTC

Wow - the average global sea surface temperature outside of the polar regions is currently tied for the all-time absolute hottest on record (in the NOAA/OISST dataset). The record was in 2024.
More graphics like this at https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-briefings
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/997/500/087/718/685/original/54329acffafb4e0e.png

2026-07-23 18:26:54 UTC

Trends in July temperatures over land areas for the last 50 years... note the saturated shading across Europe, western North America, northern Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia where there is particularly notable surface heating.
Data from: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/970/697/875/399/980/original/b0d8e31aa217eceb.png

2026-07-21 20:32:28 UTC

Simulated reconstruction of July #Arctic sea ice thickness since 1901. Large interannual variability & widespread thinning in recent years.
Information about this data set is available at https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-19-0008.1
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/959/867/124/229/554/original/7e3d062e368de99a.mp4

2026-07-21 15:11:06 UTC

"Although El Niño often provides a temporary boost to global temperatures (and La Niña has the opposite effect), these new global climate records are ultimately being driven by human-caused climate change."
➡️ Our latest monthly climate report: https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-briefings/june-2026

2026-07-21 00:02:48 UTC

Temperature departures averaged over the last month (left), 3 months (center), and 12 months (right) across the Northern Hemisphere... Note the large anomaly over western Siberia from June. 🔥
Data from @npub13av…8hhw ERA5 reanalysis.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/955/030/975/812/375/original/fcbc4779b5dd0ce8.png

2026-07-20 12:41:14 UTC

All latitude bands, except in the Antarctic, observed above average temperatures last month. Departures were largest around the edge of the Arctic Circle.
[Plot shows zonal-mean surface air temperature anomalies, where latitude = y-axis (not scaled by distance). Data from GISTEMPv4.]
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/952/351/537/070/770/original/d0ea4eb0c73eb492.png

2026-07-19 17:11:20 UTC

The average global temperature so far this year for the January-June period is the 3rd warmest on record (since at least 1850)...
This data is using NOAAGlobalTempv6.1.0: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/947/751/320/923/666/original/5ac3cf6ef2d51c81.png

2026-07-16 20:05:23 UTC

Watch an animation of 100 years of average June temperature anomalies over global land areas through 2026...
Data from NOAAGlobalTemp v6.1.0: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/931/448/690/715/920/original/f0e513a4b8453ca8.mp4

2026-07-16 11:39:11 UTC

Thursday El Niño update - Conditions remain favorable for further strengthening, with a number of similarities to the big 1997 event. The warm pool continues to stretch quite far east, and there's just already a remarkable amount of warmth across the tropical Pacific.
Data from NOAA OISSTv2.1 🌊
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/929/455/843/104/260/original/608b78d7085f0ecc.png
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/929/456/389/552/688/original/0b83201b8184a971.png
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/929/456/416/652/070/original/d8b5cc6adf04ef1b.png
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/929/456/422/681/704/original/69b14949268e4514.png

2026-07-10 18:18:35 UTC

Last month was the *2nd* hottest June on record for our planet. This was estimated at 1.39°C warmer than a pre-industrial (1850-1900) average. El Niño is also well underway and clearly visible in the anomaly maps.
Summary and data from @npub13av…8hhw at https://climate.copernicus.eu/surface-air-temperature-june-2026
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/897/053/080/975/141/original/f71863030a9a0b22.png
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/897/053/085/301/623/original/3c9ed331644a69c6.png
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/897/053/085/409/176/original/53fcd699fa92c17b.png

2026-07-08 15:38:16 UTC

Looking at last month's average #Arctic sea ice concentration anomalies reveals the clearly missing ice over the Barents Sea basin to the east of Svalbard. In contrast, ice is more persistent around the Beaufort Sea.
+ Concentration = fraction of sea ice
+ Graphics from https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-extentconcentration/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/885/099/710/348/548/original/710cb717707c408d.png

2026-07-05 02:33:46 UTC

- reply

This is another reminder that extreme heat affects more than just our air temperatures. The impacts are also being felt across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Reports of a fish kill nearby DC in the Potomac with water temperatures over 90°F (32°C)...
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/865/024/766/419/158/original/74f06c3162defc68.png

2026-07-04 16:18:12 UTC

This is a clear example of a compound hazard event (i.e., amplified societal impacts). Severe thunderstorms knocked out power for nearly 250,000 people last night, and many are now seeing near-record heat today while still without electricity.
Orange: heat advisories
Pink: extreme heat warnings
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/862/603/906/233/820/original/35788f05e46b336e.png
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/862/603/965/383/366/original/2acc7100badc74ee.png

2026-07-02 12:01:13 UTC

Welcome to July! 🌞 Here's how temperatures have changed around the world during this month over the last four decades. Warming is greatest over land areas, and one of the most striking regional hotspots is around the Antarctic Peninsula.
Data from https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/850/272/317/359/289/original/c5bf1697dd700ace.png

2026-06-30 16:35:15 UTC

A look at the globally averaged sea surface temperature over the last three months relative to each other March-April-May period since 1854. This warming trend has far-reaching impacts.
Data from NOAA ERSSTv5: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/extended-reconstructed-sst
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/840/024/975/752/888/original/de278b44ef6381d5.png

2026-06-29 16:58:35 UTC

Regional changes in those overnight (minimum) temperatures during the months of June and July since 1990. Most all areas are seeing warming, which is largest in the Southwest. This is particularly dangerous without access to adequate cooling.
Find more U.S. climate change visuals: https://zacklabe.com/united-states-climate-indicators/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/834/455/013/086/167/original/82a9690e8e382872.png

2026-06-29 11:37:27 UTC

Temperature trends over the last 50 years during the boreal summer season... Note that some of the hotspots (largest warming regions) include Europe, the Middle East, northern Siberia, and China during this season.
Data from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/833/192/063/713/258/original/4571a2e8c55854ae.png

2026-06-29 00:36:36 UTC

My next “climate viz of the month” blog is out, which describes a historic extreme event for sea ice conditions in the Barents Sea region of the Arctic this summer: https://zacklabe.com/climate-viz-of-the-month/
#DataViz #SciComm #OpenScience #OpenData

2026-06-27 22:42:21 UTC

"Parts of Southeast Asia, South America and coastal West Africa are among the regions that now experience at least six months of “dangerous” humid heat days annually, the report released on Wednesday shows." via https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3358533/asias-dangerous-humid-heatwaves-push-human-body-its-limits

2026-06-23 23:51:51 UTC

Another historic heat dome. Temperature anomalies that exceed the color table during summer is never good a thing - stay cool and safe from this unprecedented heat wave!
See more at https://meteofrance.com/actualites-et-dossiers/actualites/canicule-une-vague-de-chaleur-sinstalle-cette-semaine and https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/blog/2026/how-unusual-is-this-weeks-extreme-heat-and-why-will-it-feel-so-intense. Map from http://karstenhaustein.com/climate
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/802/105/269/412/972/original/42dcb06d2f6f49ce.png

2026-05-28 00:51:41 UTC

Looking back at the average temperature departures over the last 3 months...
🟥 warmer than average
🟦 colder than average
Dataset described in https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-24-0012.1
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/649/458/149/881/319/original/c904efedf79ee388.png

2026-05-27 01:27:56 UTC

Totally wild to see how bad the headlines are still day after day regarding future climate projections. And how often they distort how these scenarios are actually developed and used in climate science research. A real communications failure, I'm afraid. That's all I'm going to say about that!

2026-05-27 00:23:32 UTC

Watch an animation of 100 years of average April temperature anomalies over global land areas through 2026...
Data from NOAAGlobalTemp v6.1.0: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/643/685/894/429/054/original/ab39b85ecc7fcbba.mp4

2026-05-26 12:01:18 UTC

Yet again, another record-breaking heatwave is arriving well outside of the typical season. This time impacting the UK and other parts of western Europe with a strong upper-level ridge.
Here's how climate change is making that heat more likely (via Climate Central: https://csi.climatecentral.org/climate-shift-index):
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/640/765/598/987/423/original/d2dc1683e0135bbe.png

2026-05-26 00:22:05 UTC

"Extreme heat, drought, and warming ecosystems are disrupting daily work, water supplies, cultural heritage, public health, and biodiversity across this week’s regions." - via https://globalclimatedispatch.substack.com/p/global-climate-impacts-drought-public

2026-05-25 20:47:39 UTC

The average global temperature so far this year for the January-April period is the 5th warmest on record (since at least 1850)...
This data is using NOAAGlobalTempv6.1.0: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/637/174/769/598/929/original/dfa9d1b2fcedbaa7.png

2026-05-25 13:46:01 UTC

Have a great week! Here's your Monday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 3rd lowest on record (JAXA data)...
• about 360,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 860,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,310,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 1,770,000 km² below the 1980s mean
More graphics: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-extentconcentration/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/635/516/900/869/658/original/4cab125dcd911d32.png

2026-05-25 00:36:39 UTC

Temperature anomalies across the #Arctic over the last 12 months...
Data from @npub13av…8hhw ERA5 reanalysis.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/632/411/155/670/358/original/a82cb695d225f1e8.png

2026-05-24 13:31:05 UTC

I swear I really do listen to all of your comments (good and bad), and this new blog features a data visualization that has been requested for quite a while by many of you.
In my latest entry, I share an animation of temperature departures by latitude for every month from January 1950 through 2025.
➡️ Check it out! https://zacklabe.com/climate-viz-of-the-month/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/629/793/122/728/103/original/b506190a0c9b5aa9.png

2026-05-24 00:56:59 UTC

Global mean sea surface temperature anomalies (departure from average) so far this year ➡️ 2nd highest on record
Data from ERSSTv5 averaged over January to April.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/626/824/514/900/735/original/d4d5e8d74aa05f96.png

2026-05-23 14:27:06 UTC

We have a new book chapter out this week: https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003567332-6. In this work, we overview how extreme event attribution assessments and improved decadal prediction services can support resilience planning and decision-making around climate risks.
If you are interested in it, don't hesitate to reach out 🙂
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/624/352/952/077/930/original/ecaa5f20c07270c2.png

2026-05-23 00:56:28 UTC

It's time for your monthly climate change indicator update: 🫣
+ Global temperature: 📈
+ Carbon dioxide (CO₂): 📈
+ Methane (CH₄): 📈
+ Nitrous oxide (N₂O): 📈
Download at https://zacklabe.com/climate-change-indicators/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/621/163/863/668/349/original/d832193d51b34e4d.png

2026-05-22 12:05:04 UTC

A look at how average temperatures have changed across the contiguous U.S. during the summer season. The warming hole remains a prominent feature, mostly in daytime maximum temperatures (https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-22-0716.1).
Check out my U.S. climate indicators page for more: https://zacklabe.com/united-states-climate-indicators/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/618/132/334/429/574/original/439958603b82b8e5.png

2026-05-22 01:27:47 UTC

Important reading --> https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/snow-drought-current-conditions-and-impacts-west-2026-05-14
"West braces for critical water shortages after unprecedented snow drought"
"Snowpack, the western U.S.’s largest non-man made reservoir, is already gone in many places."
"This year’s peak snowpack will be the new benchmark low for Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico; there are no comparable years."

2026-05-21 18:35:53 UTC

Temperature anomalies averaged over the last month (left), 3 months (center), and 12 months (right) across the Northern Hemisphere...
Data from @npub13av…8hhw ERA5 reanalysis.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/614/006/909/361/095/original/d035f8ff30c79984.png

2026-05-21 12:12:38 UTC

Now check out the last 100 years of April sea surface temperature departures in the new ERSSTv6 dataset (up through 2026).
Learn more about this upgrade in https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-23-0707.1 and https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-24-0185.1
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/612/499/951/986/022/original/ed857037d4baf3e7.mp4

2026-05-21 00:57:17 UTC

Last month was the *2nd* warmest April on record for the Southern Hemisphere. Here's what that looks like in the long-term context...
Data from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/609/842/022/387/356/original/564c7717658d2c7e.png

2026-05-20 12:01:44 UTC

One of the fastest warming regions of the #Arctic is around the Barents Sea. April 2026 was yet another month with unusual temperature anomalies around that area (>5°C above the 1981-2010 climatological average).
Data from https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/606/795/123/191/532/original/7a60790cdb53f237.png

2026-05-19 22:45:29 UTC

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania broke the all-time record high for the month of May today at 98°F (36.7°C)!
Human-caused climate change is making these temperature at least twice as likely across the region.
Explore the attribution data from Climate Central at https://csi.climatecentral.org/climate-shift-index?lat=40.05686&lng=-75.71777&zoom=7
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/603/662/732/567/335/original/d9fe899ceb07fa10.png

2026-05-19 11:56:21 UTC

100 years of average January-April temperature anomalies over land areas through 2026... climate change in motion!
Data from NOAAGlobalTemp v6.1.0: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/601/109/610/993/678/original/e8ef7cc2b869108d.mp4

2026-05-18 22:47:29 UTC

Reconstructing April Arctic sea ice extent since 1850...
You can read more about this data set at https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-piecing-together-arctic-sea-ice-history-1850/. Data from https://doi.org/10.7265/jj4s-tq79
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/598/009/552/836/553/original/52ecc6b670c92367.png

2026-05-18 15:41:26 UTC

Have a great week! Here's your Monday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 4th lowest on record (JAXA data)...
• about 320,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 820,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,250,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 1,640,000 km² below the 1980s mean
More graphics: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-extentconcentration/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/596/334/700/120/693/original/cfbaa647e08820e1.png

2026-05-18 11:58:48 UTC

"The world is on track for 'extraordinary extreme weather' later this year, scientists have warned." via https://www.msn.com/en-gb/weather/topstories/2026-on-track-for-extraordinary-extreme-weather-scientists-warn/ar-AA22Y6C0?gemSnapshotKey=GM28C0804A-snapshot-4

2026-05-18 00:31:12 UTC

Slowly but surely, I am adding more metrics for monitoring the Relative Oceanic Niño Index (RONI) on my climate indicators page (monthly): https://zacklabe.com/climate-change-indicators/. It could be quite a year for El Niño 😬

2026-05-17 13:31:52 UTC

#Arctic air temperature rank by month over the satellite era - now updated through April 2026...
+ Ranks: 1=warmest (red), 47/48=coldest (blue)
+ Download higher resolution: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-temperatures/
+ Data: https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/590/161/143/761/119/original/2b5f4c7c6703b35f.png

2026-05-17 01:33:46 UTC

Changes in May temperatures in the #Arctic by decade...
[Data from ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis]
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/587/339/249/653/359/original/dbd1fbbca91f9a3c.png

2026-05-16 18:42:12 UTC

"As spring arrives 10 days earlier on average than four decades ago, growers pay the price with total crop losses." via https://www.farmprogress.com/orchard-crops/frozen-out-pennsylvania-grower-starts-long-slog-to-orchard-recovery

2026-05-16 15:25:10 UTC

Last month was the 4th warmest April on record globally. It was also the 7th warmest April for global land areas and the 2nd warmest for ocean areas. Overall, about 7.4% of Earth’s surface recorded its warmest April on record. All 10 of the warmest Aprils have occurred since the year 2016.
📋 Check out the NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration State of the Climate Report for April: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/global/202604
📋 Data from NOAAGlobalTemp version 6.1.0: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
📋 This graphic was created using Python's matplotlib, basemap, and cmocean ('balance' colormap; https://matplotlib.org/cmocean/).
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/584/945/794/561/448/original/6d917500ec18a403.jpeg

2026-05-15 23:41:46 UTC

Oh dear... the current global average temperature is once again setting new record highs for the time of year. 🔥
See more at https://zacklabe.com/climate-change-indicators/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/581/232/732/048/874/original/3bcd7f4fbc1dd82a.png

2026-05-15 16:33:13 UTC

In case you missed our latest climate science briefing, check out the recording from yesterday: https://youtube.com/watch?v=rNYSgGkN0r8
After overviewing the latest global statistics, we did a deep dive on the newest data around current drought conditions and the growing likelihood of a strong El Niño.

2026-05-15 12:17:36 UTC

This visual style really helps to show the latitudinal gradient of temperature anomalies over the last 6 months, which unsurprisingly was the largest in the #Arctic.
[Plot shows zonal-mean surface air temperature anomalies, where latitude = y-axis (not scaled by distance). Data from NASA GISTEMPv4.]
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/578/545/774/560/210/original/4f1c11246c2b8f9c.png

2026-05-15 00:12:18 UTC

Trends in sea ice concentration are still confined to the outer edges of the #Arctic Ocean in May. In particular, losses have been largest in the Barents Sea near Novaya Zemlya.
Sea ice concentration = fraction of ice-cover (observed by satellite). Info: https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-25-0104.1
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/575/694/097/539/550/original/412cba8a094491e6.png

2026-05-13 17:45:11 UTC

Simulated reconstruction of May #Arctic sea ice thickness since 1901. Watch for the last 10 years or so...
Information about this data set is available at https://psc.apl.uw.edu/research/projects/piomas-20c/. Note that it is only updated through 2010 due to ERA-20C forcing.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/568/509/268/570/073/original/0a438c5acc3f120d.mp4

2026-05-13 12:01:21 UTC

Status of the most recent monthly-averaged greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Observational data provided by https://gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/567/157/717/096/473/original/52b6f07b840a438e.png

2026-05-13 00:38:30 UTC

#Arctic climate rankings are now updated for April 2026: https://zacklabe.com/archive-2026/. Sadly, no data is available for sea-ice volume again.
#SciComm #DataViz #OpenScience #OpenData

2026-05-12 12:10:06 UTC

Looking at temperature departures over the last 6 months... note some of the hotspot regions, including of course the Arctic, but also central Asia and western North America.
🟥 [red] warmer than average
🟦 [blue] colder than average
Data from GISTEMPv4 (https://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/)
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/561/528/343/102/037/original/69ff259d5919e469.png

2026-05-12 00:09:51 UTC

Looking back at April 2026, most latitude bands observed above average temperatures, except near the South Pole.
[Plot shows zonal-mean surface air temperature anomalies, where latitude = y-axis (not scaled by distance). Data from NASA/GISS GISTEMPv4.]
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/558/694/760/675/934/original/9f909e4627f44cd4.png

2026-05-11 20:57:54 UTC

A reminder that we have new interactive tools as part of our monthly state of the climate webinars... PS: join us later this week: https://climatecentral-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/3717690018559/WN_JI8tiwC1QxqtqLg7yhb1CA
For instance, include your own annotations to see how quickly carbon dioxide has changed in your lifetime: https://observablehq.com/collection/@climatecentral/climate-services
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/557/941/687/679/198/original/a49375cdea90d662.png

2026-05-11 12:03:24 UTC

Quite a bit of spatial variability in the pattern of temperature anomalies across #Antarctica in April 2026, though the warmth around the peninsula has been a pretty persistent feature lately.
Data from @npub13av…8hhw ERA5 reanalysis.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/555/841/054/619/130/original/2844590d52961644.png

2026-05-11 00:07:14 UTC

There's still a lot of year-to-year variability in patterns of ocean sea surface temperature anomalies, but there's something else clearly happening... Watch the human-caused warming trend evolve over the last 100 years during the month of April (including to 2026).
Data from https://psl.noaa.gov/data/gridded/data.noaa.ersst.v5.html
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/553/024/813/863/214/original/6bb7399053271871.mp4

2026-05-10 17:22:43 UTC

A timeline of our rapidly changing planet (through 2025)...
I've now added this visualization permanently to my climate change indicators webpage (at the bottom): https://zacklabe.com/climate-change-indicators/. Check it out there, as it looks much better in its full resolution!
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/551/434/238/188/579/original/8d2651ebeda0f17f.webp

2026-05-10 13:55:03 UTC

Last month observed record high temperatures averaged over the Southern Hemisphere. Note also the long-term warming trend in this visualization, as displayed by the color shading from blue (older years) to red (recent years).
Data from https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/550/615/670/432/241/original/fce81625f0d88d99.png

2026-05-10 00:59:56 UTC

This is an important graph for understanding changes in the global climate system. The data/running means are computed through March showing internal variability (bumps) and forced long-term warming (trend ➡️ human-caused climate change).
+ Graph created by https://columbia.edu/~mhs119/Temperature/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/547/567/112/980/181/original/f62f775557988f3d.png

2026-05-09 19:20:42 UTC

A similar pattern of sea surface temperature anomalies continued into April across the #Arctic region, with warmer than average ocean conditions surrounding much of the ice edge, except in the eastern Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska region.
Data via OISSTv2.1 (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/optimum-interpolation-sst)
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/546/234/279/870/276/original/d0cffc874964a1a5.png

2026-05-09 14:15:01 UTC

Record high ocean temperatures continued across the North Pacific in April 2026 relative to the entire rest of the historical record for the month.
This graph shows the average for a band across the midlatitudes for every March from 1854-2026 using
NOAA ERSSTv5 data (https://psl.noaa.gov/data/gridded/data.noaa.ersst.v5.html).
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/545/033/630/603/431/original/72db93d5990048e1.png

2026-05-08 23:43:47 UTC

Global sea level rise and its accelerating rate... 🌊
Latest satellite-derived data now updated from https://sealevel.colorado.edu/ through early 2026
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/541/607/978/632/625/original/d4670026b2776406.png

2026-05-08 15:01:53 UTC

🚨 Friday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the *lowest* on record for this time of year (JAXA data)...
• about 570,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 970,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,410,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 1,810,000 km² below the 1980s mean
More graphics: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-extentconcentration/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/539/552/872/312/307/original/2773531a88d4b0dc.png

2026-05-07 12:31:36 UTC

Last month was the *2nd* warmest April on record for the average global sea surface temperature...
Graphic using NOAA ERSSTv5 data. Methods described in https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0836.1
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/533/302/245/883/282/original/d1fb9b8612990be6.png

2026-05-07 00:43:09 UTC

Changes in May temperatures in the #Antarctic by decade... Some of the largest warming is around the Antarctic Peninsula and Bellingshausen Sea during this time of year.
[Data from @npub13av…8hhw ERA5 reanalysis]
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/530/516/570/052/709/original/3f4dcb38c6128309.png

2026-05-06 11:48:38 UTC

Here are the latest monthly-averaged observations of global methane (CH₄; a potent greenhouse gas)...
January 2026 - 1940.4 ppb
January 2025 - 1935.5 ppb
+ Data: https://gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends_ch4/
+ Why the change in trends? https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx8262
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/527/466/626/134/532/original/a23622ec74debc8c.png

2026-05-05 21:59:35 UTC

“For many climate scientists, this is just ‘here it is again, another record in the wrong direction.’” via https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/carbon-dioxide-levels-in-the-atmosphere-just-hit-a-depressing-record-high/

2026-05-05 18:01:32 UTC

Carbon dioxide averaged nearly 431 ppm in April 2026 (new record high)...
10 years ago April averaged about 408 ppm. Preliminary data from https://gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/mlo.html.
This is really concerning, and it isn’t going away. The longer we wait, the worse the impacts get and the harder they are to address.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/523/274/222/113/471/original/3a6ee6dccfd47185.png

2026-05-05 12:24:13 UTC

Sea surface temperatures continued to warm in the far eastern Pacific in April, as El Niño is likely to develop (find trusted sources to follow and not just the hype).
Note also the significant marine heatwave stretching from near Hawaii to California and Mexico!
Data from OISSTv2.1: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/optimum-interpolation-sst)
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/521/946/600/542/971/original/23dd51667e02d206.png

2026-05-04 21:07:52 UTC

🚨 Your Monday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the *lowest* on record (JAXA data)...
• about 510,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 900,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,290,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 1,770,000 km² below the 1980s mean
Additional perspectives: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-extentconcentration/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/518/341/988/975/392/original/53c6824de6b08ac3.png

2026-05-04 11:43:18 UTC

Last month was the 11th lowest #Antarctic sea ice extent on record for the month of April.
This was 670,000 km² below the 1981-2010 April average. Data from https://nsidc.org/data/seaice_index
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/516/125/072/853/689/original/3c8ca7d798aaf09d.mp4

2026-05-04 00:39:27 UTC

A large portion of the #Arctic Ocean is still covered with sea ice in May. However, the edges are observing warming at the surface of the ocean over the recent satellite-era.
Data from OISSTv2.1. For more info: https://doi.org/10.25923/pz7y-3b10
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/513/514/812/016/794/original/4b65adecccd7f2b9.png

2026-05-03 16:35:20 UTC

April 2026 #Arctic sea ice extent was the 2nd lowest on record for the month...
This was 1,120,000 km² below the 1981-2010 average. April ice extent is decreasing at about 2.44% per decade. Data: https://nsidc.org/data/seaice_index
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/511/609/370/708/354/original/603507388b3d7520.mp4

2026-05-03 14:22:26 UTC

Decadal trends in May sea ice thickness across the #Arctic Ocean - red shading corresponds to areas of thinning ice (yes, that's pretty much everywhere)
Simulated by PIOMAS; https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-17-0436.1
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/511/089/354/732/779/original/465258dbc7aecb41.png

2026-05-02 19:30:04 UTC

Trends in May temperatures over land areas for the last 50 years...
Data from: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/506/635/460/562/007/original/c1a867311fa1ea59.png

2026-05-02 01:30:40 UTC

What questions do you have about the current state of the climate system? Join my next webinar in two weeks and bring them along!
Register here: https://climatecentral-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/3717690018559/WN_JI8tiwC1QxqtqLg7yhb1CA (a recording is provided afterwards to everyone who registers)
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/502/385/663/067/379/original/bfb0cb7dba614882.png

2026-05-01 13:46:01 UTC

Have a nice weekend! Here's your Friday ice update - #Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 3rd lowest on record (JAXA data)...
• about 420,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 790,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,170,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 1,670,000 km² below the 1980s mean
More graphics: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-sea-ice-extentconcentration/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/499/621/116/882/336/original/a5ee6ea9aa088959.png

2026-05-01 12:08:49 UTC

Happy start to May! These maps show the regional patterns of temperature change during this month over the last four decades. Note the larger warming over land areas and relative hotspots over different high latitude areas.
Data from https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/499/239/011/379/009/original/6436beb0c2dcd588.png

2026-05-01 00:15:26 UTC

Checking in on global sea ice conditions... extent is currently the 5th lowest on record for today's date. This is consistent with the overall long-term declining trend due to human-caused climate change.
Graphic originally from https://zacklabe.com/global-sea-ice-extent-conc/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/496/434/422/727/428/original/54aaeddc682b4d44.png

2026-04-30 19:57:07 UTC

A last look at March in the #Arctic, with a zoomed-in view of Svalbard where temperatures were more than 5°C warmer than the 1981-2010 baseline. This extended to the Greenland Sea and Fram Strait as well and coincided with less sea ice to the east.
Data from https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/495/417/383/772/146/original/eebe030b7f80a595.png

2026-04-30 12:10:49 UTC

The concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) is higher than at any point in at least the past one million years (according to evidence from paleoclimate records).
More climate change indicators: https://zacklabe.com/climate-change-indicators/
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/493/584/715/984/398/original/90a3c2eccd8f9141.png

2026-04-30 00:38:07 UTC

Patterns of April surface air temperatures in the #Antarctic averaged by decade. Note that there can be some higher uncertainties for observations across this particular region.
Data from @npub13av…8hhw ERA5 reanalysis.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/490/859/626/712/352/original/4c5877ef5f093caf.png

2026-04-29 12:18:33 UTC

🚨 The 2025 European State of the Climate (ESOTC) was released today.
There are absolutely beautiful data visualizations throughout this report, but they also reveal some very alarming statistics of climate trends and extremes.
Check it out: https://doi.org/10.24381/zy93-sb27 #ESOTC2025
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/487/950/309/325/611/original/557e139c1fe70a1a.png

2026-04-29 00:27:24 UTC

📊 New data release today! Check out the latest state-by-state tools for tracking U.S. billion-dollar disasters, as well as disaster and risk mapping! 2026 already has 5 events tallied so far this year ($12.4 billion).
Explore the data with Climate Central: https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-services/billion-dollar-disasters
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/485/150/784/848/924/original/e20d8f45a3776650.png

2026-04-28 14:54:06 UTC

Maps of temperature departures averaged over the last month (left), 3 months (center), and 12 months (right) across the #Arctic...
Data from https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.f17050d7
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/482/902/352/689/096/original/12f3f11aeeb468be.png

2026-04-28 12:13:11 UTC

Another check in on spring's arrival for plants blooming. Timing is way ahead of schedule, with off-the-charts early activity across parts of the central and western U.S. Quite a season!
Map from: https://www.usanpn.org/data/maps/spring
Future projections: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3313-2
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/482/269/415/606/916/original/4040f4963560fd22.png

2026-04-28 00:45:22 UTC

'Playing a broken record' via https://nsidc.org/snow-today/monthly-insights/playing-broken-record
"In large parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon, snow cover duration was 80 to 100 days below average. Snow cover duration in all other western US states was also far below average."
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/479/565/002/016/814/original/3ebab73c938ddd61.png

2026-04-27 12:09:31 UTC

Last month was the 3rd warmest March on record for land areas around the world...
Data provided by NOAAGlobalTemp v6.1.0 (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/noaa-global-temp)
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/476/592/622/761/284/original/0a47c0650ecb7c8b.png

2026-04-26 18:11:03 UTC

New 'climate viz of the month' blog is out today, comparing two observational datasets to show the warmest decade on record across the wider #Arctic region: https://zacklabe.com/climate-viz-of-the-month/ #DataViz #SciComm #OpenData #OpenScience

2026-04-26 15:49:51 UTC

Changes in April temperatures in the #Arctic by decade...
[Data from ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis]
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/471/796/889/481/999/original/b34ade0583fd61e1.png

2026-04-26 13:48:19 UTC

The most anomalous warmth across the #Arctic (in terms of largest temperature departures) has been across the northernmost areas near the North Pole so far this year. This was especially significant in March.
Graphic updated monthly at: https://zacklabe.com/arctic-temperatures/. Data from ERA5 reanalysis.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/471/317/208/548/255/original/29587cf2e71ee562.png

2026-04-26 04:44:32 UTC

If you have missed any of our new monthly state of the climate webinars, check out the recordings here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfd2qWxc-XiLfKnLxdJK5SGEpMWN3Fa-N

2026-04-26 00:24:09 UTC

Global mean sea surface temperature anomalies (departure from average) so far this year ➡️ 3rd highest on record
Data from NOAA ERSSTv5 averaged over January to March.
https://fediscience.org/system/media_attachments/files/116/468/156/060/233/571/original/abe2bb920ecf75bc.png

2026-04-25 22:49:40 UTC

"Trump fires all 24 members of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s governing body" via https://www.science.org/content/article/trump-fires-nsf-s-oversight-board