18 March 2009: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published its annual Statement on the Status of the Global Climate in 2008. The WMO Statement contains information for 2008 on global temperature, regional temperature anomalies, global precipitation, droughts, flooding and storms, La Niña, tropical cyclones, Antarctic ozone hole and Arctic sea ice extent, as well as an article on benefits for climate monitoring and assessment of data rescue activities.

According to the Statement, the year 2008 was among the ten warmest on record since the beginning of modern measurements in 1850. Also, in 2008, several extreme weather and climate events were recorded in various parts of the world, of which the most dramatic was tropical cyclone Nargis, which made landfall in Myanmar in May, causing catastrophic destruction and over 70,000 fatalities. Other parts of the world suffered severe flooding, extreme heat waves and droughts in 2008, while Arctic sea ice was once more observed to decline markedly, reaching during September its second-lowest historic extent. [WMO Press Release] [WMO Statement on the Status of the Global Climate]