State of the Climate in 2010

Several large-scale climate patterns influenced climate conditions and weather patterns across the globe during 2010.

The 2010 average global land and ocean surface temperature was among the two warmest years on record.

Annual global precipitation over land areas was about five percent above normal. Precipitation over the ocean was drier than normal after a wet year in 2009.

Sea ice conditions in the Arctic were significantly different than those in the Antarctic during the year.

Greenland glaciers lost more mass than any other year in the decade-long record.

Atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations continued to rise and ozone depleting substances continued to decrease.

More information in http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/1520-0477-92.6.S1