What is Temperature Anomaly?

Temperature anomaly refers to the difference between the current temperature and a baseline average temperature. This metric is crucial for understanding climate change and its impacts. It provides a means to quantify how much the temperature has changed relative to a reference period, typically 1951-1980 or the pre-industrial period of 1850-1900.

The Temperature Anomaly Formula

The formula used to calculate the temperature anomaly (δ𝑇) is as follows:

δ𝑇 = 𝑇 current − 𝑇 baseline

Where:

• 𝑇 current = measured temperature for the current period
• 𝑇 baseline = average temperature for a reference period

Using this formula, one can determine whether temperatures are rising or falling. A positive δ𝑇 indicates warming, while a negative δ𝑇 signifies cooling.

Example Calculation

To illustrate, let’s examine a simple example:

If the baseline average temperature (1951-1980) is 14.0 °C and the current year temperature is 15.5 °C, we can compute the anomaly as follows:

δ𝑇 = 15.5 − 14.0 = 1.5 °C

This calculation tells us that the Earth’s temperature has warmed by 1.5 °C compared to the baseline. Understanding this anomaly is essential for recognizing the ongoing changes in our climate.