The 4byo Climate Helix
Year-on-year spirals showing how temperature and rainfall have changed since records began - globally, by continent, country, US state and UK region (+sunshine and frost). Each loop is one year; the colour gradients reflect the long-term warming trend. Watch how the seasons shift as you explore different regions, and track the ENSO state in the HUD. The global view includes Paris 1.5°C and 2°C reference rings. Updated monthly.
The 4byo Climate Helix – Global Land + Ocean
NOAA Climate at a Glance — Global Land+Ocean - Paris rings vs global 1850-1900 mean (13.5°C).
Records – Global Temperature
NOAA Climate at a Glance — Global Land+Ocean
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Methodology & Sources
- Global temperature (land + ocean) - NOAA Climate at a Glance Global Land+Ocean surface temperature anomaly record, updated monthly.
- Global temperature (land) - ERA5 reanalysis surface temperature via Our World in Data.
- Continents and countries - Our World in Data monthly temperature series derived from NOAA and Berkeley Earth data.
- US states and US climate regions - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) monthly temperature and precipitation records.
- UK nations and regions - Met Office UK Regional Series (temperature, rainfall, sunshine hours, frost days). Crown Copyright.
- ENSO indicator (HUD) - NOAA Climate Prediction Center Oceanic Niño Index (ONI): 3-month running mean of ERSSTv5 sea surface temperature anomalies in the Niño 3.4 region. Shown where ENSO has a clear regional influence.
All datasets are updated monthly as source agencies publish new readings.
FAQs
Climate Spiral - Common Questions
What is a climate spiral?
A climate spiral (also called a climate helix) is a radial chart where time winds outward in annual loops - one ring per year - with months arranged around the clock face. The distance from the centre shows the temperature anomaly for that month relative to a historical baseline. As temperatures rise over decades, the spiral grows outward, making the long-term warming trend immediately visible. The format was created by climate scientist Ed Hawkins in 2016 and has since been adopted widely, including by NASA.
How is the Climate Helix different from the NASA or Ed Hawkins climate spiral?
The NASA and Ed Hawkins spirals show global average temperatures only. The Climate Helix lets you load the spiral for any country, US state, UK nation or UK region, as well as every continent and the global average - making it one of the few tools that produces a localised temperature spiral for your part of the world. It also adds: data overlays for rainfall and (for UK areas) sunshine hours and frost days; a shifting seasons view showing how season boundaries have moved over time; custom period comparison; 2D and 3D views with playback controls; and a detailed temperature records table below the spiral.
Which regions can I explore?
The Climate Helix covers the whole globe, all seven continents, 160+ individual countries, all 50 US states, 9 US climate regions, the four UK nations (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) and 17 UK sub-regions. Use the search bar, browse by area type, or use the map to find any location.
What data overlays are available?
Temperature is available for all regions. Rainfall (precipitation) is available for most countries, all US states and climate regions, and all UK areas. Sunshine hours and frost days are available for UK nations and regions only, sourced from the Met Office UK Regional Series. A HUD (heads-up display) alongside the spiral shows sparklines of each available metric for the selected region. For areas with a strong El Nino - La Nina signal, an ENSO indicator also appears in the HUD.
What does the shifting seasons view show?
For all regions except the global average, the spiral highlights how the warmest and coldest - or wettest and driest - parts of the year have shifted over time. A seasonal background on the spiral marks the traditional season boundaries, and you can see how springs arrive earlier, summers lengthen, and winter cold spells shorten. Regions with a wet-dry season pattern (rather than four meteorological seasons) show the equivalent wet-dry cycle shift.
What are the Paris 1.5°C and 2°C reference rings?
On the global helix, two dotted rings mark the 1.5°C (2.7°F) and 2°C (3.6°F) warming thresholds above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial baseline - the limits set by the Paris Agreement. When a year's loop in the spiral reaches or crosses a ring, global average temperatures for that year have hit that level of warming.
What is the ENSO indicator in the HUD?
ENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation) is the biggest year-to-year driver of global temperature and rainfall variability. For regions where ENSO has a strong influence - such as Australia, India, the UK and much of the Americas - a small ENSO card appears in the HUD showing how the ONI (Oceanic Nino Index) tracked across the years of the playback. This lets you see which warm or cool spikes on the spiral coincide with El Nino or La Nina events. Visit the ENSO Tracker for a full breakdown of current conditions and impacts by country.
Can I adjust the view?
Yes. A View Controls section below the helix lets you switch between 2D and 3D perspectives, rotate the spiral to place any month at the front - useful for accentuating a key season - and step forward or back year by year. Playback speed is also adjustable so you can watch the spiral build at your own pace.
Can I compare two different time periods?
Yes. An expandable Compare Periods section below the helix lets you define two custom date ranges and overlay them on the same spiral - for example the 1970s against the 2020s. This is available for all regions.
What does the Temperature Records section show?
Below the helix, a records table lists the warmest and coldest years in the historical series, ranked by annual, seasonal and monthly average. It also shows where the current year ranks as the year progresses - so you can see in real time whether this year is on track to be a record-breaker.
How often is the data updated?
Data is updated every month as new readings are published by the source agencies - NOAA, Our World in Data and the Met Office. The spiral always reflects the most recent complete month, so you can track how the current year compares to all previous years in real time.