Pacific Ocean. Photo: Mila Zinkova/ Wikimedia CommonsThe globe is warming fastA new report by NOAA states that the world’s ocean surface temperature was the warmest recorded for August. This preliminary report is based on reports that date back to 1880.
Further, the combined land and ocean surface temperature for the month was only second warmest on record after 1998. This is a bad signal amidst growing concerns over global warming.The earth’s average temperature has steadily been on the rise in recent times due to climate change. Scientists bestow this year’s additional increase to the influence of El Niño.
The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for August and the year to date were both above (0.62oC and 0.550C higher repectively) the 20th century average of 15.60C.
“Sea surface temperatures (SST) during August 2009 were warmer than average across much of the world's oceans, with cooler-than-average conditions across the higher-latitude southern oceans and the northern parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.” the report says.
A weak El Niño persisted across the equatorial Pacific Ocean during August 2009. Consequently, sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean were between 0.7-1.0°C (1.3-1.8°F) above average during the month. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Centre, El Niño is expected to strengthen and last through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2009-2010.
The January-August 2009 map of temperature anomalies shows the presence of warmer-than-average conditions across much of the globe's surface area. The only exceptions are United States Canada, Japan, Alaska and western Russia, all of which recorded cooler than average temperatures.
The average precipitation is also on the rise globally. Above-average precipitation was received in the British Isles, Alaska, southern Brazil, southern Chile and across eastern Asia.
Other notable precipitation extremes during August 2009 include the rainfall deficit across India. Over 40 per cent of the country's districts were affected by drought. Hundreds of locals were forced to evacuate the affected region in search of food. Overall, the drought impacted nearly 700 million people. Mexico was in the midst of its worst drought in 70 years, affecting about 3.5 million farmers.
According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), Arctic sea ice covered an average of 2.42 million square miles during August. This is 18.4 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent, and is generally consistent with a decline of August sea ice extent since 1979.
All these figures are striking a high note on the reality of global warming. This is in a sense a warning signal ahead of the upcoming climate conference in Copenhagen.
Further, the combined land and ocean surface temperature for the month was only second warmest on record after 1998. This is a bad signal amidst growing concerns over global warming.The earth’s average temperature has steadily been on the rise in recent times due to climate change. Scientists bestow this year’s additional increase to the influence of El Niño.
The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for August and the year to date were both above (0.62oC and 0.550C higher repectively) the 20th century average of 15.60C.
“Sea surface temperatures (SST) during August 2009 were warmer than average across much of the world's oceans, with cooler-than-average conditions across the higher-latitude southern oceans and the northern parts of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.” the report says.
A weak El Niño persisted across the equatorial Pacific Ocean during August 2009. Consequently, sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean were between 0.7-1.0°C (1.3-1.8°F) above average during the month. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Centre, El Niño is expected to strengthen and last through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2009-2010.
The January-August 2009 map of temperature anomalies shows the presence of warmer-than-average conditions across much of the globe's surface area. The only exceptions are United States Canada, Japan, Alaska and western Russia, all of which recorded cooler than average temperatures.
The average precipitation is also on the rise globally. Above-average precipitation was received in the British Isles, Alaska, southern Brazil, southern Chile and across eastern Asia.
Other notable precipitation extremes during August 2009 include the rainfall deficit across India. Over 40 per cent of the country's districts were affected by drought. Hundreds of locals were forced to evacuate the affected region in search of food. Overall, the drought impacted nearly 700 million people. Mexico was in the midst of its worst drought in 70 years, affecting about 3.5 million farmers.
According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), Arctic sea ice covered an average of 2.42 million square miles during August. This is 18.4 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent, and is generally consistent with a decline of August sea ice extent since 1979.
All these figures are striking a high note on the reality of global warming. This is in a sense a warning signal ahead of the upcoming climate conference in Copenhagen.
No comments:
Post a Comment