According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this past October was the second warmest on record since records began in 1880.

The report said the average global land and ocean surface temperature for the month was 58.23 degrees Fahrenheit, over a full degree above the 20th century mean of 57.1 degrees. Overall, it was the warmest October on record since 2001.

The average land surface temperature was 50.72 degrees Fahrenheit, over two degrees above the 20th century average of 48.7 degrees, and the warmest on record. Most of the extreme warmth occurred over eastern Europe, Australia and Asia.

The ocean temperatures were not as unusually warm as land, with surface sea temperatures recorded at 61.41 degrees, less than a degree above the 20th century mean.

Also in the report, satellite imagery indicated that October Arctic sea ice was at its third lowest level since records started being kept in 1979. Drought continued to plague southern and eastern Australia, with South Australia recorded its driest October on record.

The report also noted and recapped several extreme weather events from October, most notably Hurricanes Norbert and Omar, two powerful late-season storms.

To view the full report, please follow this link:
NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center