Global

Global mean surface temperature anomaly relative to the 1880–1920 mean. Curves show the 12-month running mean, 132-month running mean, and annual (Jan–Dec) means. Linear trends are shown for 1970–2010, 2010–present, and 2015–present. For discussion of the choice of base period, see “A Better Graph”.

Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Global mean surface temperature anomaly relative to 1880–1920, 1950–2040. The plot shows observed annual means, 12-month running mean, and 132-month running mean, together with a projected 12-month running mean for an upcoming El Nino peak and subsequent La Nina minimum. Projections are based on the historical relationship between global temperature and the Nino3.4 index (NOAA Climate Prediction Center).

Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Related discussion: Super El Nino? Super Warming is the Main Issue (20 March 2026), on the developing El Nino and the broader context of accelerated ocean-surface warming.

Global land-only and overall mean surface temperature anomalies relative to 1880–1920, with 12-month and 132-month running-mean curves for land and globe. The lower panel shows the land:globe ratio for the same running means, illustrating how land warms faster than the global mean as the forced warming signal emerges from interannual variability.

Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Global land-only and ocean-only mean surface temperature anomalies relative to 1880–1920, with 12-month and 132-month running-mean curves for land and ocean, 1950-present. The lower panel shows the land:ocean ratio for the same running means.

Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Daily sea surface temperature for the world (60°S–60°N, 0–360°E), comparing 2026 with prior years, together with the 1991–2020 and 1982–2010 climatological means. Data through: 11 June 2026.

Dataset: NOAA OISST V2.1. Image credit: ClimateReanalyzer.org, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine. Data source and interactive figure: Climate Reanalyzer.

Seasonal mean global surface temperature anomalies relative to the 1880–1920 mean, 1990–present, shown together with the 12-month running mean. Seasonal means are plotted for DJF, MAM, JJA, and SON.

Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Monthly global surface temperature anomalies relative to the 1880–1920 mean, 1990–present, with a 12-month running mean overlaid. The plot highlights recent years and the emergence of the long-term warming trend above year-to-year variability.

Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Zonal

Zonal mean global surface temperature anomalies, 12-month running mean, 1950–present, showing the latitude dependence of global warming.

Base period: 1951–1980. Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Zonal mean sea surface temperature anomalies, 12-month running mean, 1950–present.

Base period: 1951–1980. SST source: NOAA ERSSTv5, used in the GISS analysis; ERSSTv5 anomalies are defined relative to a 1971–2000 base period. Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Sea surface temperature anomalies, 12-month running means, for the global ocean and three latitude bands: 20°N–20°S (tropical), 20°–60°N, and 20°–60°S, 1950–present.

Base period: 1951–1980. SST source: NOAA ERSSTv5, used in the GISS analysis; ERSSTv5 anomalies are defined relative to a 1971–2000 base period. Data through May 2026. Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF.

Maps

3a. Global temperature change based on local linear trends

Global maps of temperature change based on local linear trends in land–ocean surface temperature and sea surface temperature (SST) for periods starting in 1880, 1950, and 2000. Changes are based on monthly anomalies from Jan 1880–Dec 2025, Jan 1950–Dec 2025, and Jan 2000–Dec 2025, respectively, relative to the 1951–1980 mean, using the GISS temperature analysis with NOAA ERSSTv5 sea surface data. ERSSTv5 anomalies are defined relative to a 1971–2000 base period, but the fields shown here are expressed relative to the 1951–1980 baseline used in the GISS analysis. Maps use the GISS 1200 km smoothing option. These maps highlight regional variations in warming, with amplified changes over land and at high northern latitudes.

Data through December 2025 using the May 2026 release Data source: ref. [1].
Figure available as PDF: LOTI 1880–2025, SST 1880–2025, LOTI 1950–2025, SST 1950–2025, LOTI 2000–2025, SST 2000–2025.

3b. Annual mean surface temperature anomaly maps, 2016–2025 (Jan–Dec)

Annual means through 2025. Based on the May 2026 GISTEMP dataset release. Data source: ref. [1].

Annual mean global surface temperature anomaly maps for the past ten years (2016–2025), relative to the 1951–1980 mean. These maps show the spatial pattern of recent warming and allow comparison between different El Nino and La Nina years.

A full archive of annual maps beginning in 1990 is available on the More Figures page.

1. NASA GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP v4) . Underlying inputs include NOAA GHCN and NOAA ERSST v5 .