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Vital signs · live

The planet's vital signs

Temperature, greenhouse gases, ice and oceans, charted from the original records and refreshed automatically as NASA, NOAA, Copernicus and NSIDC publish new data. Hover or tap any chart to read the values.

Global temperature+1.77°C+0.89° vs 1991–2020Above the pre-industrial average on 17 Oct, the warmest 17 Oct on record.Copernicus ERA5 · 17 OctCarbon dioxide426.7ppm+1.9 ppm in a year52% above the 280 ppm of pre-industrial air.NOAA Mauna Loa · 18 OctArctic sea ice6.72M km²−1.74M km² vs 1981–2010Ice-covered area of the Arctic Ocean.NSIDC · 17 OctAntarctic sea ice16.20M km²−1.95M km² vs 1981–2010The 2nd lowest for the date in 44 years of satellites.NSIDC · 17 OctMethane1,935ppb+5.4 ppb in a yearAbout 2.7× pre-industrial levels.NOAA global · Jun 2026Sea level+10.3cm3.7 mm a year latelyGlobal average rise since 1993, measured from space.NOAA satellites · Feb 2025

Temperature

Day by day: 2026 against every year since 1940

On 17 October the global average surface air temperature was 15.30°C, +0.89°C above the 1991–2020 average for the date and about +1.77°C above pre-industrial. No 17 October has been warmer since records began in 1940. 60 days in 2026 so far have set a record for their date.

  • 1991–2020 average
  • 2025
  • 2026
Each faint line is one year since 1940, coloured from blue (cool year) to red (warm year). 2024 was the warmest complete year in this record.
Show the data as a table
YearAverage vs pre-industrial (°C)
2025+1.47
2024+1.60
2023+1.48
2022+1.18
2021+1.16
2020+1.31
2019+1.28
2018+1.14
2017+1.22
2016+1.32
2015+1.14
2014+0.99
2013+0.95
2012+0.92
2011+0.87

Source: Copernicus Climate Change Service / ECMWF, ERA5 reanalysis · pre-industrial offset +0.88°C (C3S) ·

Since 1850

Every year, warmer than the last few decades

Global average temperature each year compared with 1850–1900. The colours are the same scale as the warming stripes. NOAA's record runs a little cooler than ERA5 above because it fills the poles and oceans differently, so the two differ by about 0.1–0.2°C. 2026 so far (January–September): +1.34°C.

Show the data as a table
Year°C vs 1850–1900
2025+1.29
2024+1.42
2023+1.34
2022+1.06
2021+1.03
2020+1.18
2019+1.16
2018+1.03
2017+1.09
2016+1.16
2015+1.04
2014+0.90
2013+0.83
2012+0.80
2011+0.77
2010+0.88
2009+0.81
2008+0.69
2007+0.79
2006+0.80

Source: NOAA NCEI Global Surface Temperature (NOAAGlobalTemp), rebased to 1850–1900 ·

2024warmest year on record, +1.42°C above 1850–1900
20232nd warmest year on record, +1.34°C above 1850–1900
20253rd warmest year on record, +1.29°C above 1850–1900
+1.17°Caverage of the last ten years (2016–2025)

Carbon dioxide

The Keeling curve

Carbon dioxide measured on Mauna Loa, Hawaii, since 1958, the longest direct record of CO₂ in the air. The yearly wiggle is the Northern Hemisphere's forests breathing in each summer. The trend underneath only goes one way: up 1.70 ppm in the last twelve months, to a peak of 434.0 ppm.

CO₂ at Mauna Loa, monthly average

Show the data as a table
YearAverage CO₂ (ppm)
2025427.35
2024424.60
2023421.08
2022418.53
2021416.41
2020414.21
2019411.65
2018408.72
2017406.76
2016404.41
2015401.01
2014398.81
2013396.74
2012394.06
2011391.85
2010390.10
2009387.64
2008385.83
2007384.02
2006382.09
Show the data as a table
YearAverage CO₂ (ppm)
2025427.35
2024424.60
2023421.08
2022418.53
2021416.41
2020414.21
2019411.65
2018408.72
2017406.76
2016404.41
2015401.01
2014398.81
2013396.74
2012394.06
2011391.85
2010390.10
2009387.64
2008385.83
2007384.02
2006382.09

Source: NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory, Mauna Loa Observatory · latest daily reading 426.67 ppm on 18 Oct ·

Other greenhouse gases

Methane and nitrous oxide

Methane is a short-lived but powerful warmer, from fossil fuel leaks, livestock, rice, landfills and wetlands. Nitrous oxide comes mostly from fertiliser. Both are at record highs.

Methane (CH₄)

1,935 ppb
Show the data as a table
YearMethane (ppb)
20251,936.1
20241,929.5
20231,921.6
20221,911.1
20211,895.0
20201,878.9
20191,866.7
20181,857.5
20171,849.7
20161,843.3
20151,834.3
20141,822.7
20131,813.5
20121,808.2
20111,803.1

Source: NOAA GML global marine surface sites · pre-industrial ~722 ppb ·

Nitrous oxide (N₂O)

339.9 ppb
Show the data as a table
YearNitrous oxide (ppb)
2025338.9
2024337.7
2023336.7
2022335.6
2021334.3
2020333.0
2019331.9
2018330.9
2017329.8
2016329.0
2015328.2
2014327.1
2013326.0
2012325.1
2011324.2

Source: NOAA GML global marine surface sites · pre-industrial ~270 ppb ·

Sea ice

Arctic and Antarctic sea ice

How much of the polar oceans is frozen, day by day. Arctic ice peaks in March and bottoms out in September; Antarctic ice does the opposite. Arctic summer ice has been shrinking by about 12.1% per decade since 1979. Antarctic ice held steady for decades, then fell to record lows from 2016.

Arctic

6.72 M km²
  • 1981–2010 average
  • Record low year (2012)
  • 2025
  • 2026
  • 1981–2010 range (10th–90th percentile)
Show the data as a table
YearAnnual minimum (M km²)Annual maximum (M km²)
20254.5414.35
20244.2515.04
20234.2414.64
20224.6914.94
20214.7614.87
20203.7915.07
20194.1714.90
20184.6314.50
20174.6414.45
20164.1514.57
20154.3914.55
20144.9915.01
20135.0415.20
20123.3415.31
20114.3314.70
20104.5915.35
20095.0515.20
20084.5515.35
20074.1514.84
20065.7514.78
20055.3114.99
20045.7715.30
20035.9715.63
20025.6315.62
20016.5715.74
20005.9415.50
19995.6815.63
19986.2916.07
19976.6015.68
19967.1515.48
19956.0115.38
19946.9315.77
19936.1616.05
19927.1615.58
19916.2615.65
19906.0116.25
19896.8915.77
19887.0516.31
19876.8916.29
19867.1216.16
19856.4916.16
19846.4015.81
19837.2016.41
19827.1616.33
19816.9015.80
19807.5316.30
19796.9016.64

17 Oct: −1.74M km² vs the 1981–2010 average, 11th lowest for the date since 1979.

Source: NSIDC Sea Ice Index v4 ·

Antarctic

16.20 M km²
  • 1981–2010 average
  • Record low year (2023)
  • 2025
  • 2026
  • 1981–2010 range (10th–90th percentile)
Show the data as a table
YearAnnual minimum (M km²)Annual maximum (M km²)
20251.9617.85
20242.0217.28
20231.8517.11
20221.9618.28
20212.6818.89
20202.7119.06
20192.4318.49
20182.2018.32
20172.0818.15
20162.6218.58
20153.5418.91
20143.5520.20
20133.6819.61
20123.1119.48
20112.3218.95
20102.8419.00
20092.6719.30
20083.6918.30
20072.7219.09
20062.4919.36
20052.8019.30
20043.2619.12
20033.6318.68
20022.7018.12
20013.4418.49
20002.5819.16
19992.7118.98
19982.7719.24
19972.2618.79
19962.6018.83
19953.3318.76
19943.0818.83
19932.2818.71
19922.4918.47
19912.5518.67
19902.7818.38
19892.7218.27
19882.6418.79
19873.0118.52
19862.9518.03
19852.6018.93
19842.3818.37
19832.8418.81
19822.8918.55
19812.6918.86
19802.5219.09
19792.9118.36

17 Oct: −1.95M km² vs the 1981–2010 average, 2nd lowest for the date since 1979.

Source: NSIDC Sea Ice Index v4 ·

Sea level

Global sea level, measured from space

Satellites have tracked the height of the ocean since 1993. It has risen 103 mm, about 3.2 mm a year on average and 3.7 mm a year over the last decade, as seawater warms and expands and glaciers and ice sheets melt.

Show the data as a table
Yearmm vs 1993
2024+101
2023+98
2022+92
2021+90
2020+85
2019+82
2018+76
2017+73
2016+73
2015+69
2014+61
2013+58
2012+55
2011+45
2010+47
2009+45
2008+42
2007+38
2006+38
2005+35
2004+32
2003+30
2002+27
2001+25
2000+20
1999+16
1998+17
1997+18
1996+14
1995+10
1994+5
19930

Source: NOAA Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry (TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1/2/3, Sentinel-6MF), seasonal signal removed · altimetry data provided by NOAA LSA ·

#ShowYourStripes

The warming stripes

One stripe per year from 1850 to 2026, coloured by global average temperature. Created by climate scientist Ed Hawkins; drawn here live from NOAA data.

1850: +0.02°C1851: +0.11°C1852: +0.14°C1853: +0.10°C1854: +0.12°C1855: +0.09°C1856: +0.04°C1857: −0.03°C1858: +0.02°C1859: +0.10°C1860: −0.03°C1861: −0.08°C1862: −0.15°C1863: −0.08°C1864: −0.06°C1865: +0.13°C1866: +0.06°C1867: −0.03°C1868: +0.05°C1869: +0.09°C1870: −0.01°C1871: 0.00°C1872: +0.01°C1873: 0.00°C1874: −0.06°C1875: −0.04°C1876: −0.06°C1877: +0.25°C1878: +0.28°C1879: 0.00°C1880: −0.02°C1881: +0.08°C1882: 0.00°C1883: 0.00°C1884: −0.11°C1885: −0.06°C1886: −0.10°C1887: −0.18°C1888: +0.05°C1889: +0.11°C1890: −0.14°C1891: −0.06°C1892: −0.15°C1893: −0.15°C1894: −0.16°C1895: −0.06°C1896: +0.04°C1897: +0.05°C1898: −0.09°C1899: +0.01°C1900: +0.09°C1901: +0.05°C1902: −0.04°C1903: −0.16°C1904: −0.22°C1905: −0.09°C1906: 0.00°C1907: −0.18°C1908: −0.22°C1909: −0.21°C1910: −0.17°C1911: −0.20°C1912: −0.13°C1913: −0.11°C1914: +0.05°C1915: +0.10°C1916: −0.11°C1917: −0.25°C1918: −0.15°C1919: −0.03°C1920: −0.01°C1921: +0.02°C1922: −0.06°C1923: −0.05°C1924: −0.04°C1925: −0.02°C1926: +0.10°C1927: 0.00°C1928: +0.02°C1929: −0.13°C1930: +0.07°C1931: +0.12°C1932: +0.06°C1933: −0.07°C1934: +0.07°C1935: +0.04°C1936: +0.08°C1937: +0.17°C1938: +0.18°C1939: +0.19°C1940: +0.33°C1941: +0.38°C1942: +0.25°C1943: +0.26°C1944: +0.38°C1945: +0.30°C1946: +0.16°C1947: +0.17°C1948: +0.13°C1949: +0.13°C1950: +0.04°C1951: +0.15°C1952: +0.21°C1953: +0.27°C1954: +0.09°C1955: +0.04°C1956: 0.00°C1957: +0.23°C1958: +0.26°C1959: +0.25°C1960: +0.16°C1961: +0.24°C1962: +0.21°C1963: +0.23°C1964: −0.01°C1965: +0.09°C1966: +0.13°C1967: +0.16°C1968: +0.12°C1969: +0.26°C1970: +0.21°C1971: +0.09°C1972: +0.22°C1973: +0.34°C1974: +0.12°C1975: +0.16°C1976: +0.11°C1977: +0.37°C1978: +0.28°C1979: +0.36°C1980: +0.46°C1981: +0.50°C1982: +0.32°C1983: +0.49°C1984: +0.34°C1985: +0.31°C1986: +0.39°C1987: +0.50°C1988: +0.55°C1989: +0.43°C1990: +0.59°C1991: +0.57°C1992: +0.40°C1993: +0.43°C1994: +0.49°C1995: +0.63°C1996: +0.51°C1997: +0.64°C1998: +0.78°C1999: +0.57°C2000: +0.57°C2001: +0.69°C2002: +0.76°C2003: +0.77°C2004: +0.70°C2005: +0.83°C2006: +0.80°C2007: +0.79°C2008: +0.69°C2009: +0.81°C2010: +0.88°C2011: +0.77°C2012: +0.80°C2013: +0.83°C2014: +0.90°C2015: +1.04°C2016: +1.16°C2017: +1.09°C2018: +1.03°C2019: +1.16°C2020: +1.18°C2021: +1.03°C2022: +1.06°C2023: +1.34°C2024: +1.42°C2025: +1.29°C2026: +1.34°C