So the preliminary data are out, and global average temperatures for 2010 ran .62 degrees Celsius higher than the 20th-century average. Nobody really lives in an average climate, of course, but it’s a useful metric for keeping track of long term trends. And in this case, the globe has been above average for 34 years in a row.

These statistics, along with a host of others and the figure to the right come courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one of many places where global temperatures are tracked. It appears that 2010 also ranked as the wettest on record (again, using global averages), and the Atlantic hurricane season ranked within the top three most active seasons. In the Arctic, the sea ice minimum hit its third smallest extent on record, behind 2007 and 2008.

The announcement picked up plenty of press, but the US Congress appears to have moved on. A few battle-hardened Democrats nonetheless carried the banner forward, citing the data as evidence that Congress needs to take action. However, it is unlikely that the political forces that have aligned to freeze progress on legislation to reduce carbon emissions will experience a spring thaw anytime soon.