Long Hot Summer

Warm out today. Warm yesterday. Even warmer today.

In fact, it looks set to be the warmest year since records began in 1880.

No summer in recent memory has highlighted the impact of climate change more vividly than 2010. From flooding in Pakistan (one fifth of the nation is underwater) to more frequent landslides in China to heat-waves around the world, extreme climate events are becoming more regular.

An accelerated pattern of climate anomalies is ubiquitous. Finland experienced a record temperature of 37.2 degrees on July 29th, while Russia has endured its hottest summer since records began 130 years ago. Oppressive heat (temperatures as high as 39 degrees) has led to peat and forest fires across the country pumping smoke into the air. The Moscow Times reported that “the worst smog to hit Moscow in almost a decade has sent pollution soaring 10 times above safe levels”. These circumstances have forced Russia to declare a state of emergency in 23 regions. Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Chad, Sudan, Niger, Burma, Colombia and the Solomon Islands have all witnessed record temperatures. Hundreds have perished in Northern India where temperatures reached 48.5C in Gujarat state several days ago, but the worst may still be to come with forecasts nearing 50C for the weeks to come. The Indian Meteorological Department attributed this to the lack of atmospheric humidity, hot dry winds blowing across the south-western Thar desert and the effects of last year’s El Nino cycle.

Meanwhile, Arctic summer sea ice continues to decline for the 14th year in succession and covered an average of 8.4 million sq km during July – nearly 17% below the 1979-2000 average and the second lowest July extent since records began in 1979, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said. This will undoubtedly have an impact on ice sheets and, in the end, sea levels.