With tornado outbreaks in the South, Christmas
temperatures that sent trees into bloom in Central Park, drought in parts of
Africa and historic floods drowning the old industrial cities of England, 2015
is closing with a string of weather anomalies all over the world.
temperatures that sent trees into bloom in Central Park, drought in parts of
Africa and historic floods drowning the old industrial cities of England, 2015
is closing with a string of weather anomalies all over the world.
The year, expected to be
the hottest on record, may be over at midnight Thursday, but the trouble will
not be. Rain in the central United States has been so heavy that major floods
are beginning along the Mississippi River and are likely to intensify in coming
weeks. California may lurch from drought to flood by late winter. Most serious,
millions of people could be threatened by a developing food shortage in
southern Africa.
the hottest on record, may be over at midnight Thursday, but the trouble will
not be. Rain in the central United States has been so heavy that major floods
are beginning along the Mississippi River and are likely to intensify in coming
weeks. California may lurch from drought to flood by late winter. Most serious,
millions of people could be threatened by a developing food shortage in
southern Africa.
But that natural pattern
of variability is not the whole story. This El Niño, one of the strongest on
record, comes atop a long-term heating of the planet caused by mankind’s
emissions of greenhouse gases. A large body of scientific evidence says those emissions
are making certain kinds of extremes, such as heavy rainstorms and intense heat
waves, more frequent.
of variability is not the whole story. This El Niño, one of the strongest on
record, comes atop a long-term heating of the planet caused by mankind’s
emissions of greenhouse gases. A large body of scientific evidence says those emissions
are making certain kinds of extremes, such as heavy rainstorms and intense heat
waves, more frequent.
Coincidence or not, every
kind of trouble that the experts have been warning about for years seems to be
occurring at once.
kind of trouble that the experts have been warning about for years seems to be
occurring at once.
“As scientists,
it’s a little humbling that we’ve kind of been saying this for 20 years now,
and it’s not until people notice daffodils coming out in December that they
start to say, ‘Maybe they’re right,’ ” said Myles R. Allen, a climate
scientist at Oxford University in Britain.
it’s a little humbling that we’ve kind of been saying this for 20 years now,
and it’s not until people notice daffodils coming out in December that they
start to say, ‘Maybe they’re right,’ ” said Myles R. Allen, a climate
scientist at Oxford University in Britain.
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