1. Global Climate Review Todd Mitchell, 30 September 2008 Global-mean temperature: 8th warmest in 129 year record ENSO: neutral; forecast neutral PDO: large negative; forecast to remain negative Indian Monsoon: near normal Arctic Ice Extent: 2nd lowest in 30 year record 6 Atlantic hurricanes (~1995-05 normal, season not over) Perceived early 1940s ocean warming linked to data processing U.S. Fiscal Year 2009 science budget: continuing resolution

2. Excerpts of the AAAS Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations Summary, Updated 26 September ( www.aaas.org/spp/rd) Just days before the start of FY 2009, Congress has made little progress on FY 2009 appropriations and is preparing to leave Washington for the rest of the year, postponing final budget decisions for most federal agencies until next year. The House has approved a continuing resolution (CR; HR 2638 amendment) extending funding for all programs in unsigned 2009 appropriations bills at 2008 funding levels through March 6, 2009. The CR contains final FY 2009 appropriations for the Departments of Defense (DOD), Homeland Security (DHS), and Veterans Affairs (VA); but all other federal agencies will be operating temporarily at 2008 funding levels when the new fiscal year begins on October 1 until the CR expires or a final appropriations bill is enacted. Congress' rush to adjourn leaves science agencies' hopes for funding increases in 2009 in limbo. Earlier in the year, congressional appropriators endorsed large increases for the three physical sciences agencies in the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), increases for human spacecraft development, increases for biomedical research in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and increases in other parts of the federal research and development (R&D) portfolio. But instead most federal programs will operate at 2008 funding levels for several months into the new fiscal year..

3. Land and Ocean 0.72°C (1901-2000 climatology), 8th warmest in 129 years

4. January through August Mean Temperature Anomalies (°C, 1901-2000 climatology) Global Land0.72°C8th warmest in 129 years Ocean0.3510th warmest Land and Ocean0.459th warmest Northern Hemisphere Land 0.827th warmest Ocean0.378th warmest Land and Ocean 0.549th warmest Southern Hemisphere Land0.4112th warmest Ocean0.3316th warmest Land and Ocean0.3415th warmest

7. Australia drought continues

10. Red line 1979-2000 mean Arctic sea ice extent, after reaching its seasonal minimum last week, has begun its annual cyclical increase in response to the setting sun. A cooler melt season, retention of first- year ice, and dispersive ice motion set the 2008 melt season apart from 2007.

15. All India 842 mm, normal 843 mm

16. Nino3.4 (5N-5S, 170-120W) August 0.21°C 1971-2000 mean

17. 29 June through 27 September mean sea surface temperature anomaly (°C, 1982-96 climatology) PDO: -1.00 -0.77 -0.71 -1.52 -1.37 -1.34 -1.67 -1.70 standard deviations

18. Forecast DJF: 0.3°C; MAM: 0.2°C