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Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images
Cherry blossom trees on the National Mall in Washington, DC, are blooming earlier than usual as the city records one of its warmest winters.
In a typical March, weather.com reports, you may be teased with one, maybe two nice days before being hit with the cold reality of winter.
But in the eastern part of the country, March 2012 has broken thousands of daily high records. In International Falls, Minn., supposedly the coldest city in the nation, highs have reached 79 degrees.
Chicago, Ill. tied or set daily records nine days in a row. Eight of those were in the 80s; Wednesday reached 87, weather.com reported.
The list goes on – Atlanta, Ga. had seven days straight of 80-degree highs. Caribou, ME surpassed its normal high of 36 degrees by seasons and on Thursday reached a record-breaking 75 degrees. (The original record, set in 1946, was 57 degrees.)
Researchers worry the heat wave may be a symptom of global warming, Climate Central reported.
The researchers specialize in a field known as “extreme event attribution,” Climate Central reported, and said that global warming made it more likely for March’s extreme temperatures to occur.
Climate Central points to studies of the European heat wave of 2003 and the Russian heat wave of 2010, which found that changes in greenhouse gases can increase the odds of excessively warm weather.
LiveScience: European heat wave was warmest in 500 years
Researcher David Barriopedro of the University of Lisbon in Portugal found that 2003 and 2010 were the warmest summers since 1500. But he cautioned against blaming the heat waves on climate change.
"It's very difficult, if not impossible, to attribute a given extreme event, like the 2003 mega heat wave, to climate change," he told LiveScience. "What we can do is estimate what has been the contribution of humans to increase or decrease the likelihood of an analogue, an event like that."
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But yet, according to my electric bill, the average temps this year are less than last....at least in Houston......(they give us the average temps each month) ..... So... Higher Highs and Lower Lows equals lower overall.... Hmmmmm... guess that's what they mean by "average" temps.......
This is the latest I have opened the pool since 1997.......and it's still too cold to get into....a real contrast to last years heat and drought........
Since Bush has been in effect gone for four years now I guess it's Obamas fault.
That's right Paul!
It averages out with highs and lows! That's why the ice is disappearing from the north pole, and new shipping lanes are opening up.
Because everything is the same.
Global warming is measured all around the world over the long term, not in your pool over the short term.
By the time the naysayers admit that Global Warming is actually occurring, the central plains (Oklahoma, etc) will be turning into desert that resembles central New Mexico. Last year's heat and drought are just a taste of things to come.
We had 5 years of 50 inch snowfalls in Chicago and the global warming hoaxers were saying it was due to global warming. This year we have a nice warm winter and of course that is global warming also.
The facts are that weather in the midwest is warmer than normal. I believe the coasts have had a colder than normal winter. So overall, about the same. The difference is due to the El Nino current in the Pacific. About every 20 years or so, the current flows a certain way and we luck out.
Nothing to do with global warming. 100% to due with ocean currents.
We are loving it here in Chicago.
I can guarantee it will be hot and humid in August and it is called weather not global warming.
Large areas have had major climate changes in the past including the Sahara desert and it had nothing to do with man-made global warming. If you Global Warming Nazis would watch the History or Discovery channel once in a while rather than the comedy channel for your news you would know things like the orbit of the earth and Sun activity have been a major factor in climate change in the past and is most likely will be the current/future reason for climate change.
And for you Global Warming Nazis who say it has to be man-made because it's happening so quickly, it was recently determined that the last time (it's happened more than once) the Sahara desert across North Africa when from green grasslands to desert took less than 200 years. Sorry but all Al Gore and his buddies really know is how to make a buck of the fake Man-made Global Warming.
well this is the thing right? as long as we maintain that changes in weather patterns are natural, or are at least not caused by human activities, we dont have to admit that burning coal and petroleum is a bad thing.
what a joke. if anybody is serious about national security in the US, they should first and foremost be screaming themselves hoarse about why importing oil is the worse thing we can do for our safety...
'but obama hasnt allowed any drilling in our borders!!'. yeah. youre wrong again. domestic production is at a 10 year high. to the point where the US is beginning to export some.
so take your lies, your willful ignorance and your love for big corporations and go back to your cave.
Gary, the main reason for the warm winter was because the Jet Stream stayed further north than it normally does. Hence, the cold air was trapped in Canada and Alaska making them have a brutal winter. The reverse is true for many parts of Europe. The Jet Stream dipped further south than normal and stayed there. This in turn caused them to have a brutal winter as well. And lastly, you have no idea what the difference is between weather and climate.
Dan G, yes global shifts in climate caused changes in many different areas around the globe and are known by scientists from many different disciplines. And it's also known that man didn't have a role in those climate shifts. But, what does ANY of that have to do with what is currently happening?? Nothing.
Yes, changes in Earths orbit can/do affect global climate. Yes, the Suns output can/does change Earths climate. BUT, niether of those things have occured in recent history. In fact, over the last 10 or so years the Sun has been in a lull. However, record temps were recorded from many different parts of the world including the US. Now, the Sun has entered its maximum phase. So, what do you think is going to happen to our temps now?? Also, if you have a link about the causes of and the length of time it took for the Sahara Desert to change from grasslands to a desert I'd like to see them.
Paul...I don't know what Houston you live in BUT In Houston, Texas there was no winter this year
Last winter I ran the heat at least 45 days
This winter...less than 5 days
You should get your memory checked
Just take a look at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ If that doesn't give you pause, you just aren't seeing what you are looking at.
Well, at least they don't come out and say this is man-made global warming. It's nice that they finally admit that they are flying on a whim. Yup, it gets warm. It gets cold. Climate changes all the time. Of course, they have to use the ridiculous headline about "thousands" of records set. I have 3 thermometers outside my house, so 3 records were set! Actually, I read them every hour for 6 straight hours. Guess what? 18 records set! Yup, simply amazing.
That's because they don't have to say it. It's already accepted by the scientific community.
Yes, your understanding of science is shocking, indeed!
That's right witchrunner!
The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere keeps rising to levels not seen since the Jurassic era, which is a coincidence.
We all know dinosaurs didn't drive cars and there was MUCH more CO2 then and it was MUCH hotter then too!
Just because humans are taking CO2 from that era and release it into the atmosphere for the first time since then via oil and gas doesn't mean the temperatures will go back to those outrageously high levels.
We have Jesus to stop that!
Thank Alah for Jesus! We don't want to go extict like dinasours.
CLIMATE CHANGE: Every article I read this winter said something similar to "This has been the coldest day since 1929, 1977, 1940 etc..." Those cold spots were not new. I note this Article missed "this is the hottest its been since" -- but I'll bet it's not the first time. It seems that every hot or cold day is evidence of "climate change" -- maybe it exists but it can't be prove on a day by day cycle -- these cycle's have existed throughout history. 10,000 years ago we were in an ice age. Glaciers covered the land as far as southern Pennsylvania and then receded -- no one is accusing "mankind" for causing that radical change. BTW: That has happened many times.
So let me get this straight... You see the climate undergoing radical changes at an entirely unnatural rate, and you see that as evidence AGAINST climate change?
Dude, you're gonna have to walk me through that logic...
" no one is accusing "mankind" for causing that radical change."
You're right; nobody is. So? That is irrelevant to what is causing THIS change.
When you study climatology at the college level and take environmental statistics you will see very clearly that yes climate has reach highs and lows but, over 10's of thousands of years or geologic cycles. The current problem is that we are seeing a steep climb in CO2 and have reached the levels of the peak geologic cycles and still climbing. All this coincides with the rise in CO2 levels starting in 1850, the start of the industrialization age. We are dumping CO2 into the atmosphere faster than any event in our planets history other than an asteroid.
Ice ages are now fairly well-understood. Although greenhouse gases aren't the major cause of ice ages (instead, long-term cycles in the Earth's orbit and axis tilt are responsible), carbon dioxide does play an important feedback role as it's absorbed and released by the oceans.
I believe I said: "climate change" -- maybe it exists but it can't be proven on a day by day cycle.... Can't you people read ???
If any of you bothered to read (yeah, sure) what climate change is about, you would know that both record highs and lows are predicted. You will see more record cold weather (and snows), and more record hot weather. Seasons still exist, but they swing harder.
Keep this in mind: "climate" is not synonymous with "ground temperature." A warmer climate will warm the seas allowing more moisture in the air, hence more frequent and severe snow storms in the winter (snow requires moisture in the air).
Really Gil? Every article I read this winter said something about it being unnaturally warm. I think you're making stuff up.
For the completely ignorant this is just one of many of a number of locations to record major changes.
The US isn`t the center of the universe, although you can`t get that by the below average palin mind.
h e l l is getting closer to the surface
or sun spots
or earth wobble
or termites gassing out methane
or burning fossil fuels
or friction heat caused by earth travailing through not so empty space
Earth going around the sun The sun going around the Galaxy the Galaxy heading to the unknown total speed got to be over half way to the speed of light
Were cooking now
OH, and we're supposed to crash into Andromeda soon too. So why can't I see it outside my kitchen window? Oh yeah, because humans have the lifespan of a mayfly compared to celestial events. What we do have are conflicting, over-evolved, feelings of guilt and self-importance, and a somewhat less-evolved handful willing to exploit them for their own advantage.
Just wondering, if it is colder next year than this year couldn't you say their is global cooling? Well, that was the case 2 years ago and they just said that it was cooler because of global warming. Oh well, heads I win, tails you lose.
I'm not sure you're getting your data from a scientific source, WR...
No, climate change is a long-term trend. If anybody said differently, they were wrong too.
The annual global average temperature has exceeded the 20th Century average for 35 consecutive years; clear evidence of warming. However, events such as the Arctic Oscillation that bring cold air to specific regions in the wintertime could possibly become more intense in a warmer world; as could snowfall when warm moist air collides with cold air.
1974 was hot 59 in Antarctica
Antarctica
14.6 °C (59 °F)
Vanda Station, Scott Coast
1974-01-05[19]
Nothing to see here, people. Everyone knows that climate change was just a hoax invented by 97% of the scientific community to turn us all into godless communists. This climate change we're seeing is nothing more than Al Gore with a hair drier making it LOOK like we're disrupting Earth's climate. Continue to blindly oppose all legislation that might harm Big Oil's profit margins.
All those scientists over in Russia, China, and Europe who are extremely concerned about global warming keep wondering what Al Gore has to do with any of this. They just shrug it off and say it's an "American" thing and wonder how Americans can be so stupid.
The flowers were beautiful and the weather there was nice and it looked like San Diego CA.
People are extremely stupid. Of-course we are changing the environment and the climate. Its obvious. Start and ant farm in and aquarium in your house and slowly add more and more waste to it gradually and see what happens.
We go out and buy everything from refrigerators to cars and then discard them after 5 to 10 years. What in the hell do you people think happens to all that junk? It mysteriously vanishes into nothingness. hahahahaha. Its still here.
And you morons go to school in the US and sit in Chemistry and science class for up to 3 years and do experiments with chemical reactions and somehow it escapes your limited brain capacity that even our ability to breath is a chemical reaction on this planet. I guess you assume that since you can't see the fumes coming out of your cars then they must be imaginary.
The air you breath is primarily made up of nitrogen (78.09%) and oxygen (20.95%). The remaining 1% is made up of argon (0.93%), carbon dioxide (0.03%) and other trace gases (0.003%). Add to that Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Dioxide, Ozone, and Oxides of Nitrogen...all from automobiles. What do you geniuses think happens with all of that going on around you everyday. Do you honestly believe that it just disappears in the atmosphere or that it turns in to Oxygen and Pixie dust. People are sooooo incredibly stupid.
I'm 61 years old. This year I had to mow my lawn in January. Never had to that before in my lifetime. Yes, the weather is changing. Yes, the weather does change. But you cannot read the studies and not see that mankind's activities have and are contributing to the rapidity of the changes.
So many times I see very religious people saying that one should believe in 'God', just in case... Well, addressing our activities to try to limit the harm we are doing to our planet is just the same. Maybe you don't 'believe' in global climate change but what if you're wrong? Why not try to do something 'just in case'? If you're right, no harm and we give our children a cleaner, more enjoyable climate. If you're wrong, we just might save the whole of our species. You know...just in case....
Good point!
The scientific evidence about climate change is as conclusive as any science out there... unfortunately this has become a political issue...
Is this really an issue of money? Endless economic growth ? Endless growth, in a closed system, ends up a lot like a cancer... (and yes, this planet is a single, balanced system), and that's probably not something we want to pass on to future generations.
Sustainable clean energy just makes sense!
Yes, anything that endlessly grows can be termed a cancer. Mankind is fast reaching a "let's rethink all this" point.
Its a natural cycle, don't call it global warming, I know, I watch fox news, fair and balanced.
The warmist habit of scolding us about "weather" vs. "climate" when it's unusually cold, then calling it "climate change" when it's unseasonably warm pollutes their arguments.
They can't have it both ways. Americans are never going to spend trillions to joust at climate windmills when the "experts" can't put together consistent statements.
That's because weather and climate ARE two different things! And when those who can't seem to figure out which is which THEIR arguments are the ones that get "polluted". Furthermore, the article didn't say anything about "Americans" having to flip the bill to keep the oceans clean. It did say, however, it would cost the worlds governments trillions if something/anything isn't done about it now.
I sure wish the Pacific NW could get some of that extra warm climate for a couple of weeks, starting right now.
Why do you need it? The Seattle Mariners have a covered stadium to play in all summer.
On second thought, pray--pray hard.
I have a question. What if the Sun's energy output were to increase by .000000001%? Wouldn't even that small energy increase dwarf anything greenhouse gases could do? Has anyone looked at this?
Actually, the sun's energy does fluctuate slightly, but no it does not dwarf the effects of greenhouse gases.
Yup, pretty sure they looked at this.
And while you have a point about the important of solar energy, the nature of our atmosphere has a huge impact on our climate.
If you look at Mercury, the planet closest to the sun, the average temperature is between 200-300 degrees F.
On Venus, which is farther from the sun than Mercury, the average temperature is 850 degrees F.
One of the main differences? Venus has an atmosphere full of greenhouse gasses, Mercury does not.
Earth, like many planets, also does not stay at a constant distance from the sun in its orbit, so there is already likely variation in the amount of solar energy we receive.
So I think greenhouse gasses will be an important factor in climate change.
And they are, as is the same with everything else we dump into our environment. As others have mentioned, it doesn't just 'magically' disappear into nothingness.
Welcome to the future - we may not like it, and as it accelerates may not be able to live/survive in it. Insurance companies have statistics of rapidly increasing costs from damage resulting from extreme weather events. The British government received a briefing from scientists who informed them of the now increasing risk of massive methane emission from the arctic, and its consequences - and the need to start spending considerable money now on means to perhaps ameliorate the effects thereof ( if possible ). Small chance having seen the lack of leadership here in this regard. History and events will overtake them and us.
Bob,
The tundra methane could be way more serious than anyone wishes to look at. The Russians are saying they're finding 1,000 meter wide vents of methane being released under the artic.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2073686/Fountains-methane-1-000m-erupt-Arctic-ice--greenhouse-gas-30-times-potent-carbon-dioxide.html
There are also many interesting youtube videos of people igniting some of these methane farts.
Every time it snows, Republicans cry "What global warming?"
Every time the sun comes out, Democrats cry "See! There's your proof!"
Gotta love it when science and politics merge.
How about showing a picture of the cherry blossoms in Japan? Oops, there aren't any because Japan is having a cold wave right now.
And no mention of the record late season snow and cold in the Pacific Northwest?
And NASA found no link between global warming/climate change and the Russian heat wave of 2010.
Meanwhile Arctic sea ice extent is the highest its been since 2007.
And over 600 people froze to death in Europe, Russia and Asia this winter and places had 15 feet of snow.
The sea ice "extent" may in fact be greater, but what about the volume?? That is not increasing. Those countries that endured a brutal winter was caused by the northern jet stream dipping further south than usual and staying there rather than fluctuating as it normally does. And the 15' of snow? A warmer climate means more moisture in the atmosphere thus meaning more snow and rainfall in certain areas and less in others.
If there were legal consequences for condemning MY kids to the greenhouse gas ovens, none of you would still be shooting your mouths off like this.
All the byproducts of a global industrial society are completely normal people. These are things that have always been around and are natural. All the materials to build and create the byproducts and waste are from the earth, how could it possibly be bad for the earth. I'm sure our smarter and more globally heath conscious grandchildren will find a way to fix any potential problems we have possibly (but not proven solidly) caused over the centuries. Plus it is great to not have to shovel 6-feet of snow and be able to get a sun tan in early March in New England these days. Screw skiing and ice skating, open up the beaches!!!
Or maybe it is actually the reptilian aliens that are living deep underground and within our oceans. They have the ability to morph into looking like humans and have infiltrated our governments around the world, so that they can increase the output of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. This way the earth can continue to warm and become more suitable for the reptilians to come out of hiding and take over and inhabit the earth!!!
Regardless of if there is solid proof of climate change or not, don’t we simply want to ensure a healthier planet for the future of the human race (not for the reptilians)?
I think that Global Warming is a very real threat, but I also concede that some of the warming we are seeing may be a natural cycle related to the ice ages.
However, this discussion is ignoring the elephant in the living room. If our world population continues to climb, then all the energy conservation efforts will be for naught. The planet simply cannot support an indefinite growth in human population. We need to level off our population, and preferably decrease it over time. Otherwise, it will be like the future envisioned in the movie "Soylent Green".
A small portion of it could be natural/cyclic, but the mounting evidence is showing that what we're doing is accelerating or 'pushing' whatever natural portion there is. And yes, I agree that something needs to be done about world population, but that is a subject which MANY governments neither have the balls nor the spine to even touch.
Until someone can adequately explain just how we are going to maintain this energy based technology and the lifestyle it gives without destroying our planet, I think we should revisit Timothy Leary's "drop out".