NOAA says 2023 was the warmest year on record globally
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — 2023 was the warmest in the record books globally. According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, Earth’s average land and ocean surface temperature in 2023 was 2.12 degrees above the 20th-century average. NOAA’s climate records stretch back 174 years.
NOAA is not the only agency declaring 2023 the warmest year on record. The Copernicus Climate Change Service and the UK Met Office have concluded that 2023 was the warmest year on record in their analysis.
Indianapolis stats
Indianapolis checked in with our fourth warmest year on records dating back to the 1870s. Our average temperature for the entire year was 56.1 degrees, which was over 2 degrees above the 1991-2020 climate averages.
Notably, precipitation ran over 9 inches below normal for the entire year in central Indiana. This raised drought concerns as we were closing out 2023.
The good news is this January 2024, we have bounced back and are running above average with precipitation halfway through the month.
You can check the latest 8-day forecast by visiting our weather blog here.