9.4.2 Continental and Sub-continental Surface Temperature Change

9.4.2.1 Observed Changes

Over the 1901 to 2005 period there has been warming over most of the Earth’s surface with the exception of an area south of Greenland and parts of North and South America (Figure 3.9 and Section 3.2.2.7, see also Figure 9.6). Warming has been strongest over the continental interiors of Asia and north-western North America and some mid-latitude ocean regions of the SH as well as south-eastern Brazil. Since 1979, almost all land areas with observational data coverage show warming (Figure 9.6). Warming is smaller in the SH than in the NH, with cooling over parts of the mid-latitude oceans. There have been widespread decreases in continental DTR since the 1950s which coincide with increases in cloud amounts (Section 3.4.3.1).