![2014 State of the Climate: Author Q&A](/sites/default/files/authors_480.jpg)
The annual State of the Climate reports involve more than 400 international authors from more than 50 countries. Two chapter authors reflect on what it means to play a part in such an ambitious report.
![2014 State of the Climate: Sea Level](/sites/default/files/SeaLevelRiseGraph_20157-2015%20rotator.jpg)
In 2014, global average sea level was 2.6 inches (67 mm) above the 1993 average, which is the highest yearly average in the satellite record.
![2014 State of the Climate: Ocean Heat Content](/sites/default/files/OHC_anomaly_2014_rotator.png)
In 2014, the upper ocean held more heat than average throughout most of the major ocean basins.
![2014 State of the Climate: Earth’s Surface Temperature](/sites/default/files/SurfaceTemps_2014_480_alt1.png)
Depending on the data set, 2014 was either the warmest or tied-for-warmest year since records began in the mid-to-late 1800s.
![2014 State of the Climate: Precipitation](/sites/default/files/PrecipAnomaly_2014_rotator.png)
In 2014, precipitation over land was generally below average, while precipitation over the oceans was above average.
![2014 State of the Climate: River Outflow](/sites/default/files/RiverDischarge_2014_610%20rotator_0.png)
Overall, average global river outflow in 2014 slightly exceeded the climate normal.
![2014 State of the Climate: Mountain Glaciers](/sites/default/files/AGL_LemonCreek-9172014%20rotator480_0.jpg)
Worldwide in 2014, three dozen reference glaciers experienced an average mass loss equivalent to of 853 millimeters of water equivalent in 2014.
![2014 State of the Climate: Carbon Dioxide](/sites/default/files/combomaunaloa_2014_CO2_rotator480.jpg)
Scientists estimated global average carbon dioxide concentration at 397.2 parts per million (ppm) in 2014, as the global growth rate of carbon dioxide continues to accelerate.
![2014 State of the Climate: Highlights](/sites/default/files/SOTC-2014_480x320.jpg)
In 2014, the most essential indicators of Earth's changing climate continued to reflect trends of a warming planet, with several setting new records. Here are NOAA Climate.gov's highlights from the State of the Climate in 2014 report released online today by the American Meteorological Society (AMS).
![Worldwide, many areas record warm in May 2015](/sites/default/files/NOAASurfaceTemp_may2015_480_0.jpg)
For those trying to guess the May 2015 global temperature as part of our 'Climate Challenge' game, the climate served up a new record. Nowhere was record cool, but lots of places were record warm.