The Heatwave Is On: A Global Warning?
by Alex Pasternack, New York, NY 
on 07.27.06
Not that you need any more evidence of global warming, but the deadly heatwave now sweeping Europe and the western U.S. looks an awful lot like a smoking gun. What’s valuable if anything about the rising temperatures is that they may raise more than a few sweaty eyebrows, illustrating what can happen most immediately when it gets really hot in here. Though the heat wave isn’t as severe as the one that may have contributed to 15,000 deaths in France 2003, so far France has counted sixty-four heat-related deaths and in the Netherlands, July will probably be the hottest month since temperatures were first measured in 1706. Poland’s agricultural ministry warned that the country’s drought could destroy 20 percent of its grain harvest, while Germany is facing crop losses of up to 50 percent in the worst-hit regions. In Britain, which recorded its highest temperature last week, at 36.5 degrees Celsius, or 97.7 Fahrenheit, a health advisory has been issued warning of dangerous buildups of nitrogen dioxide in urban areas due to the heat. In the U.S., where the first six months of 2006 were the warmest since record-keeping began in 1895, at least 80 people have died from the heat in California, while last week’s blackout in Queens, N.Y. reminded electricity provider Con Ed—and 100,000 customers who had to go without refrigerators and air conditioning—what 100 degree weather can do to a city’s energy needs. While farmers across the country struggled to keep their crops and cattle alive, starlet Lindsay Lohan was sent to the hospital on Tuesday (supposedly) after being overcome by Los Angeles’ 105-degree weather. We knew she was hot, but...
Though they may get scant attention in comparison with other natural disasters, heatwaves claim thousands of lives every year, killing more people than floods, tornadoes and hurricanes combined. Of course, climate change is not solely to blame, but scientists say the higher temperatures are neither simply the result of some freak climate occurance. The higher temperatures jive neatly with the continually rising global temperature trend of the past century, and certainly with the past 15 years, during which the world’s hottest years have occurred.
Meanwhile, here in Beijing we're enjoying unusually cool weather thanks to Typhoon Kaemi down south. That region is typically hit with storms and typhoons in summer, but the number of fatalities (25 so far), missing people and economic losses are "much greater" this year than in 2005. Typhoons and tropical storms, like the one that claimed 612 lives last week, are also an effect, in part, of warmer weather. “People talk about tipping points," a climatologist at the Scripps Institution told the L.A. Times. "We have gone past it. There is nothing we can do to stop it now. The only question is how big a hit we are going to take."
It's unclear whether all this freakish weather will prove to be a global Treehuggin' wake-up call of sorts for the global psyche—but it’s certainly more than enough to sweat over.
P.S. The Guardian has a great piece on how to cope with the new heatwaves, About.com offers advice on staying cool during summer walks and we’ve got our own cool-down post here. Remember: drink lots of liquids (like these)—but try to avoid cold ones (check the comments section)!
:: International Herald Tribune :: Washington Post and :: AP
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Although it's hot, people must be careful not to interpret every hot day as a result of global warming. Remember that thus far we've only seen an average temperature increase of around 1 degree. I'm not saying that this rise is insignificant, but rather when the temperatures are 20 degrees higher above normal, the interpretation should be one of the following:
1) the high temperature is merely a statistical outlier and will be largely offset by anomalously low temperatures elsewhere or,
2) the high temperature is an example of more extreme weather patterns that are a result of GW.
Interpreting every hot day as evidence of GW is known is a psychological response differential perception (i.e. taking note of every result you see that reinforces you perception of reality and largely ignoring the results that challenge your view) and is common among astrologists and racists. Please realize that I think that GW is a very real and dangerous phenomenon caused by human’s CO2 output but rallying anecdotal evidence of warming will only ensure skeptic’s further doubt.
Much of the post discusses extreme weather fluctuation but other parts hardly seem to be more than sensationalism i.e.:
“while Germany is facing crop losses of up to 50 percent in the worst-hit regions” – the worst hit regions of most large country probably have crop failures of up to 50%.
“In Britain, which recorded its highest temperature last week, at 36.5 degrees Celsius, or 97.7 Fahrenheit” – a place in the world hit a record temperature…
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editor note: I'm currently reading Tim Flannery's "The Weather Makers". Very well researched and excellent to help understand the situation better.
"Remember that thus far we've only seen an average temperature increase of around 1 degree."
Lets als remember that's it's a planet-wide average, but the poles are warming faster than the equator and the land faster than the oceans, and that changing climate paterns can mean that certain areas that once were of a certain climate are now in another (so the changes in those areas can be a lot bigger than the average difference - f.ex., there's a big region of sub-saharan Africa that went from a semi-arid zone to a desert zone). Also, higher temperature usually means more humidity in the air (for each degree celcius, the air can contain twice as much water vapour), so it subjectively feels hotter, etc.
It is not too hot in parts of the North East. Toronto, for instance. So far, a wet, not overly hot summer.
Global warming is real. Making a big deal about record temps is WEATHER. The weather is ALWAYS different, and often sets records.
I think it is silly to look at a heat wave and pronounce global warming. When we get a few cool summers in a row in NYC, will global warming be over? -NO. We will however get cool summers once in a while - that's weather.
2004 europe, for instance.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go2270/is_200410/ai_n7340449
Also global warming could disrupt the gulf stream, which would cool Britain and North West Europe a lot - like an ice age.
Not entirely related to the article, but one of my not-so-treehugger office mate's gave me an article poo-pooing the impact of human produced CO2 vs that of naturally produced CO2. I'm not conversant enough to rebutt the articles points.
Is it at simple as "the straw that broke the camels back" or is it the other more hazardous gases that get produced along with CO2?
Article in question is in Sep 2006 Car and Driver mag, "An inconvenient truth: SOS from Al Gore"
Thanks and keep up the good work everyone. I've subscribed to this post, so I should get emails as comments get posted.