As 2020 began, sea surface temperatures were above normal in the eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator, which had the potential to develop into El Niño conditions. On January 9, a group of climate scientists writing for ENSO Blog published their forecast for atmospheric conditions. They believed that there was a 60% chance that the environment would remain in neutral conditions related to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO); this was based on the expectation that the above normal water temperatures would return to normal.[1] By March, there was little evidence of increased rainfall near the equator. Trade winds were enhanced in the central and tropical Pacific Ocean, and water temperatures remained above normal. On April 9, ENSO Blog reaffirmed their belief that environmental conditions would remain neutral.[2] However, the sea surface temperatures near the equatorial pacific began to cool well below average, indicating a developing La Niña. As a result, the ENSO Blog issued La Niña watch, stating a 50–55% chance of a strong La Niña.[3] In September, NOAA confirmed that the environment shifted to a La Niña pattern, based on lower than normal water temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator. The ENSO Blog estimated a 75% chance that La Niña conditions would persist through the end of the year, in part due to a strengthening Walker circulation.[4]
Monthly summary
January 2020 had an average global surface land and water temperature of 55.65 °F (13.14 °C), which was 2.05°F (1.14°C) above the 20th century average. This made January 2020 the warmest January on record, surpassing 2016 by 0.04°F (0.02°C). The month's departure from the average was the fourth highest of any month ever recorded. January 2020 was also the warmest January on record in the Northern Hemisphere.[5]
February 2020 had an average global surface land and water temperature of 55.91 °F (13.28 °C), which was 2.11°F (1.17°C) above the 20th century average. It was the second warmest February on record, behind only 2016.[6]
March 2020 had an average global surface land and water temperature of 56.99 °F (13.88 °C), which was 2.09°F (1.16°C) above the 20th century average. The month was the warmest March on record for South America.[7]
April 2020 had an average global surface land and water temperature of 58.61 °F (14.78 °C), which was 1.91°F (1.06°C) above the 20th century average. The month was the warmest April on record for the Caribbean, with reliable records for the area beginning in 1910. The global ocean temperature during the month was 62.39 °F (16.88 °C), which was the highest April temperature since global records began in 1880.[8]
May 2020 had an average global surface land and water temperature of 60.31 °F (15.73 °C), tying 2016 for the warmest May on record. The temperature was 1.71°F (0.95°C) above the 20th century average. It was the hottest ever recorded May in the Northern Hemisphere, and for all of Asia.[9]
June 2020 had an average global surface land and water temperature of 61.56 °F (16.42 °C), which was 1.66°F (0.92°C) above the 20th century average.[10]
July 2020 had an average global surface land and water temperature of 62.06 °F (16.70 °C), tying 2016 for the second warmest July on record, and just shy of June 2019's record warmth. The temperature was 1.66°F (0.92°C) above the 20th century average. The Arctic sea ice extent was 23.1% below the average from 1981 to 2020, which was the smallest sea ice extent on record.[11]
September 2020 had an average global surface land and water temperature of 59.0 °F (15.0 °C) which was the highest global surface land and water temperature in 141 year record by 1.75°F (0.97°C) surpassing the record of 2015 and 2016 by 0.04°F (0.02°C).[12]
In 2020, eighteen flood events occurred, of which twelve occurred in Asia, two occurred in Europe, two occurred in Africa, one occurred in North America and one occurred in South America.
In January, a subtropical storm named Kurumĺ caused heavy rainfall in southeast region of Brazil. The highest rainfall occurred in the state Minas Gerais's capital Belo Horizonte. The flash flooding also caused mudslides in the region. In Europe, UK suffered a severe winter flooding. It initially started in November last year, but the flood continued in isolated regions during December and January. It got worsen after Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis affected in February and caused flash flooding, becoming the wettest month since records began in 1766. England and Wales had on average of 169.9 mm (6.69 in) rainfall in this month beating the record from 1833. Meanwhile Spain and France had recorded flash flooding thanks due to Storm Gloria.
From May 16–19, a heatwave affected southeastern Europe, with temperatures reaching 104 °F (40 °C).[9]
In June, large wildfires spread across the Alaskan tundra. The Bush Fire burned across Arizona for several days, becoming the fifth largest ever recorded in the state.[10]
There were 1,058 tornadoes in the United States, as well as dozens of other tornadoes around the world. Worldwide, tornadoes have killed 90 people, including 78 in the United States. Tornadoes have caused US$4.4 billion in damage. For the first time in history, there were no tornadoes in the National Weather Service Wichita, Kansas coverage zone.[13]
The first significant tornado outbreak occurred on January 10 and 11. Tornadoes in the Southeastern United States killed 7 people,[14] and caused $1.1 billion in damage.[15] An EF2 tornado in Louisiana caused 3 deaths and $1.325 million in damage.[16][17][18]
Despite the two months being the peak of the season, May and June together only featured 217 confirmed tornadoes in the US. May alone averages 276.[citation needed]
Throughout the year, 141 tropical cyclones formed throughout the world in bodies of water known as tropical cyclone basins. Of these, 104 were named, including a subtropical cyclone in the South Atlantic Ocean, by various weather agencies when they attained maximum sustained winds of 35 knots (65 km/h, 40 mph). The strongest storms of the year so far are Cyclone Harold in the South Pacific Ocean and Cyclone Amphan in the North Indian Ocean. The deadliest and costliest storm of the year was also Cyclone Amphan, causing over 100 fatalities in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Tropical cyclones have caused US$20.6 billion in damage and killed 255 people.[citation needed]
The Atlantic hurricane season was the most active on record, with a record 30 named storms, surpassing 2005. There was a record 11 tropical cyclones that struck the United States, with the strongest – Hurricane Laura – leaving $19 billion in damage when it struck Louisiana. In November, powerful hurricanes Eta and Iota struck Central America within a two week period, resulting in significant damage and loss of life.[28] The Pacific hurricane season had a record early start in late April,[29] although it did not feature a hurricane until July 23, one of the latest dates on record.[30]
The Pacific typhoon season was fairly inactive for the first half of the year, with its first storm, Vongfong, forming in late May and moving across the Philippines; the typhoon caused around ₱1.57 billion (US$50 million) in damage, and killed 5 people.[31][32] For the first July on record, the month did not include a single typhoon.[33] In October, Super Typhoon Goni made landfall in The Philippines with 319 k/mh (195 mph) winds, making it the strongest storm to ever make landfall on record.[34]
The North Indian Ocean tropical cyclone was slightly above average with nine tropical cyclones, five cyclonic storms, four severe cyclonic storms, three very severe cyclonic storms, and one super cyclonic storm. The first storm, in the Bay of Bengal, formed on May 16 from a low-pressure area. It went on to strengthen into a super cyclonic storm, being designated Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan, and make landfall in India three days later, becoming the costliest storm ever recorded in the basin. Amphan simultaneously dissipated. In June, Severe Cyclonic Storm Nisarga became the first storm in the new thirteen-list naming system. After Nisarga dissipated, there was no activity between June 4 and October 11 – one of the longest gaps in inactivity on record. Then, on October 11, after the inactivity gap came to a close, Deep Depression BOB 02 formed. It made landfall in Andhra Pradesh and caused extensive damage. Two more depressions formed in October, and none were named – one of only a few occurrences on record. Gati formed on November 21, causing one of the longest naming gaps in history. Gati later became a Category 3 tropical cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and made landfall in the Horn of Africa near Ras Hafun which became later the strongest cyclone to make a landfall Somalia since reliable records began in 1891. Two more storms formed in the Bay of Bengal – Nivar and Burevi, both impacting South India. Nivar was in late November and affected South India at Tamil Nadu. Burevi formed on November 30, and made a landfall in North Sri Lanka, but it stalled near Comorin and dissipated.[citation needed]
January 3 - Jacksonville, Florida ties a monthly record high temperature of 85 °F (29 °C).[39] However, the record was broken three years later on January 30, 2023, when Jacksonville hit 87 °F (31 °C).[40]
January 4-5 - Flash floods in Israel leave 4 people dead.[41]
January 10–11 – A tornado outbreak in the South Central and Southeastern United States results in 12 fatalities (7 tornadic and 5 non-tornadic) and 19 injuries from 80 tornadoes that caused $1.1 billion (2020 USD) in damage as well as 318,000 power outages. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a moderate risk of severe weather for much of the Southern United States, including a 15% hatched risk of tornadoes for this outbreak.
February 6 – Meteorologists report a record high temperature of 18.3 °C (64.9 °F) on the northern tip of Antarctica.[42]
February 6 – A record-breaking 18.3 °C (64.9 °F) temperature is recorded at an Argentine weather base on the northern tip of Antarctica, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The previous record was 17.5 °C (63.5 °F) in March 2015.[42]
February 9 – Another Antarctic weather research station, located on Seymour Island, registered a temperature of 20.75 °C (69.35 °F), considered to be a "likely record" and requiring some open questions to be answered before being confirmed.[43]
April 12–13 – The 2020 Easter tornado outbreak results in 38 fatalities (32 tornadic and 6 non-tornadic) and 257 injuries from 140 tornadoes across ten states that caused $3 billion (2020 USD) in damage and caused over 4.3 million power outages. The outbreak caused multiple tornado emergencies to be issued by the National Weather Service.
April 12 – An EF4 tornado, in Mississippi, during the 2020 Easter tornado outbreak, kills eight people and injured 95 others. The tornado was estimated to be 2.25 miles wide, causing it to be the widest tornado in Mississippi state history and the third largest in US history.
April 12 – An EF2 tornado in Georgia caused 8 deaths and injured 24 others. The tornado is notable for not having a tornado warning issued until it was already on the ground for 8 minutes.
April 19–20 – A tornado outbreak in the Southern United States results in two fatalities from 22 tornadoes.
April 29 –A 477 miles (768 km) lightning strike, also dubbed "megaflash", occurred over the southern United States on April 29, 2020 as a new world record for the longest lightning strike. This was verified on January 31, 2022. [45]
May
May 3 – A derecho sweeps through Missouri and Tennessee causing the worst power outage on record in Nashville. 1 person was killed and 3 others were injured.
June 1–4 – Cyclone Nisarga kills six people and caused $803 million (2020 USD) in damage across India. Nisarga became the strongest storm to strike the state in the month of June since 1891.
June 1–August 18 – Floods in Kerala, India killed 140 people, with 12 missing, injured 40 others, and caused $254 (2020 USD) in damage.
June 10-11 – A rare derecho sweeps through Colorado and moves northeast through the Rockies and Great Plains.
June 18 - *The longest lasting lightning strike at 17 seconds takes place over Uruguay. This was verified on January 31, 2022.[46]
June 20 – Verkhoyansk, Russia, located about 10 km (6 mi) north of the Arctic Circle, recorded a temperature of +38.0 °C (100.4 °F), its highest ever temperature on record, and potentially the highest ever recorded temperature in the arctic.[47]
August 10–11 – A powerful derecho in the Midwestern United States results in four fatalities and caused widespread storm damage as well as 25 tornadoes. The overall derecho caused about $11 billion (2020 USD) in damage and thousands of power outages.
August 16 – Death Valley recorded a high temperature of 130 °F (54 °C), which, if verified, would be the 3rd hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth, and the hottest temperature recorded on Earth since 1931.[50]
September 14–21 – Cyclone Ianos, also known as Medicane Ianos, kills four people with one missing and caused at least $100 million (2020 USD) in damage across Libya, Italy, Malta, Greece, Crete, and Cyrenaica.
October 11–14 – Floods in Hyderabad, India associated with Deep Depression BOB 02, kill 98 people and caused $681 million (2020 USD) in damage across Hyderabad and other parts of India.
October 26–November 6 – Typhoon Goni, also known as Super Typhoon Rolly, kills 32 people and caused $415 million (2020 USD) in damage across the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
November 8–15 – Typhoon Vamco, also known as Typhoon Ulysses, kills 102 people with 10 missing and caused $437.4 million (2020 USD) in damage across the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.
November 21–24 – Cyclone Gati kills nine people with 30 missing and caused millions in damage across Somalia and Yemen. Cyclone Gati was the strongest tropical cyclone on record to make landfall in Somalia and the first hurricane-force cyclone to make landfall in Somalia.
December 11–24 – Cyclone Yasa kills four people with one missing and caused $246.7 million (2020 USD) in damage across Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga.
December 18–25 – Tropical Storm Krovanh, also known as Tropical Depression Vicky, kills nine people with one missing and caused $4.48 million (2020 USD) in damage across the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.
