Earth ID: 14066

Temperature Record 101: How We Know What We Know

Released on January 13, 2022

2021 was tied for the sixth warmest year on NASA’s record, stretching more than a century.

But, what is a temperature record?

GISTEMP, NASA’s global temperature analysis, takes in millions of observations from instruments on weather stations, ships and ocean buoys, and Antarctic research stations, to determine how much warmer or cooler Earth is on average from year to year.
Stretching back to 1880, NASA’s record shows a clear warming trend. However, individual weather events and La Niña — a pattern of cooler waters in the Pacific that was responsible for slightly cooling 2021’s average temperature — can affect individual years.

Because the record is global, not every place on Earth experienced the sixth warmest year on record. Some places had record-high temperatures, and we saw record droughts, floods and fires around the globe.

Universal Production Music: Knock and Wait (Instrumental) by Brice Davoli [SACEM], Well That’s Difference (Instrumental) by Jeff Cardoni [ASCAP], Wanna Be Hipster (Instrumental) by Jeff Cardoni [ASCAP], Curiosity Killed Kitty (Instrumental) by Robert Leslie Bennett [ASCAP], Eco Issues (Instrumental) by Max van Thun [GEMA]

Additional Footage: Pond5.com, CSPAN

Complete transcript available.

Vertical Version

This vertical version of the video is for IGTV or Snapchat. The IGTV episode can be pulled into Instagram Stories and the regular Instagram feed.

Vertical Version

This vertical version of the video is for IGTV or Snapchat. The IGTV episode can be pulled into Instagram Stories and the regular Instagram feed.

Vertical Version

This vertical version of the video is for IGTV or Snapchat. The IGTV episode can be pulled into Instagram Stories and the regular Instagram feed.

Vertical Version

This vertical version of the video is for IGTV or Snapchat. The IGTV episode can be pulled into Instagram Stories and the regular Instagram feed.

Source Material

Credits

Kathryn Mersmann (KBR Wyle Services, LLC): Lead Producer
Katie Jepson (KBR Wyle Services, LLC): Lead Producer
Kathleen Gaeta (AIMM): Lead Producer
Roberto Molar-Candanosa (KBR Wyle Services, LLC): Lead Writer
Sofie Bates (KBR Wyle Services, LLC): Lead Writer
Peter H. Jacobs (NASA/GSFC): Lead Public Affairs Officer
Lori Perkins (NASA/GSFC): Lead Visualizer
Mark SubbaRao (NASA/GSFC): Visualizer
Helen-Nicole Kostis (USRA): Visualizer
Alexander Bodnar (AIMM): Animator
Gavin A. Schmidt (NASA/GSFC GISS): Lead Scientist
Karen St. Germain (NASA): Scientist
Dalia B Kirschbaum (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Bridget N. Seegers (University of Maryland, Baltimore County): Scientist
Rachel Tilling (University of Maryland): Scientist
Elizabeth Hoy (GST): Scientist
Chris Neigh (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Lesley Ott (NASA/GSFC): Scientist

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center