Nasa's global temperatures in 2011 – big picture

Researchers at Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) have released their annual analysis of global temperatures, noting that Earth’s land and ocean surfaces continue to experience higher temperatures than several decades ago. Nine of the top 10 warmest years in the modern meteorological record have occurred since the year 2000. Last year was another one of them, coming in at 9th warmest since 1880. The map above shows temperature anomalies, or changes, by region in 2011 Illustration: Goddard Institue for Space Studies/NASA