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Executive Summary
In the summer of 2006, Americans from coast to coast experienced a
sweltering heat wave that broke more than 2,300 daily temperature
records in July alone. This record warmth, however, was not an anomaly;
rather, it is indicative of a broader trend toward increasing
temperatures and extreme weather resulting from global warming. To
examine recent trends in temperature in cities and towns across the
United States, this report analyzes 2000-2006 temperature data from 255
major weather stations and finds that temperatures were above normal
almost everywhere during the period.
Average temperatures
worldwide have risen by 0.8° C (1.44° F) in the past century and now
are increasing at a rate of about 0.2° C (0.36° F) per decade. The 10
warmest years of the global record have all occurred since 1990, and
2005 was the warmest year to date.
The consensus view of the
scientific community is that most of the global warming that has
occurred is due to human activities, particularly the burning of fossil
fuels. Fossil fuel combustion releases carbon dioxide, which traps
radiation emitted from the earth’s surface that normally would escape
back to space. Since 1750, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere has increased by 35%.
The United States emits far
more carbon dioxide than any other nation in the world. Emissions of
carbon dioxide in the United States – primarily from electric power
plants and passenger vehicles – have nearly doubled since 1960 and are
projected to increase dramatically in the years to come.
In the
continental United States, the first seven months of 2006 were the
warmest January-July of any year on record. The average temperature was
55.3° F, or 3.2° F above the 20th century average. Every state in the
continental United States experienced warmer-than-average temperatures;
in most states, temperatures were much warmer than the 20th century
average. For instance, according to the National Climatic Data Center:
• Five states experienced their warmest January-July on record (Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas).
•
Eleven states experienced their second warmest January-July on record
(Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming).
• The
average temperature for the first seven months of 2006 ranged between
4.0° F and 6.6° F above the 20th century average in Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South
Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
To examine how recent U.S.
temperature patterns compare with temperatures over the last 30 years,
we analyzed temperature data from “First Order” weather stations for
the years 2000-2005 and the first six months of 2006. First Order
stations are those staffed in whole or in part by National Weather
Service personnel and therefore provide the highest quality data. The
255 stations are located in all 50 states and Washington, DC. We
compared this recent data to historical, or “normal,” data from the
stations for the three decades spanning 1971-2000.
Overall, we found that temperatures were above normal across the country, indicating pervasive warming. Specifically:
Average Temperatures Rising
•
Between 2000 and 2005, the average temperature was above normal at 95%
of the locations we studied. Alaska experienced the most warming on
average, with Talkeetna reporting average temperatures 4.6° F above
normal. Outside of Alaska, weather stations in Colorado, Michigan,
Montana, Nevada and Wyoming reported the highest above-normal
temperatures for the period.
• During the first six months of
2006, the average temperature was above normal at 91% of the locations.
The average temperature was at least 3° F above normal in 43% of the
locations and at least 5° F above normal in 12 of the locations.
Temperatures were particularly warm in Texas and the Great Plains
states. The average temperature was nearly 5.9° F above normal, the
highest in the country, in Kansas City, Missouri and 5.6° F above
normal in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Nights Getting Warmer
•
Between 2000 and 2005, the average minimum (nighttime low) temperature
was above normal at 92% of the locations. The average minimum
temperature in Reno, Nevada was 5.2° F above normal, the highest in the
United States. Albuquerque, New Mexico recorded average minimum
temperatures of more than 3° F above normal.
• During the first
six months of 2006, the average minimum (nighttime low) temperature was
above normal at 87% of the stations. The average minimum temperature
was at least 3° F above normal in 28% of the locations and at least 5°
F above normal in nine of these locations. Nighttime temperatures were
particularly mild on average in the upper Midwest, with temperatures
soaring to 6.7° F above normal in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and almost
6° F above normal in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth, Rochester, and St.
Cloud, Minnesota.
Days Getting Warmer
• Between
2000 and 2005, the average maximum (daytime high) temperature was above
normal at 80% of the locations. Alaska experienced the most daytime
warming. Locations outside of Alaska experiencing the highest
abovenormal average maximum temperatures include Goodland, Kansas;
Alamosa and Pueblo, Colorado; Brownsville, Texas; and Rapid City, South
Dakota.
• During the first six months of 2006, the average
maximum temperature was above normal at 87% of the locations. The
average maximum temperature was at least 3° F above normal in 39% of
the locations and least 5° F above normal in 28 of these locations.
Warmer-thannormal days hit Texas and the Great Plains the most,
averaging more than 6° F above normal in Dodge City, Concordia, and
Wichita, Kansas as well as Grand Island, Nebraska and Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma.
To curb global warming and protect future generations,
the United States should adopt a series of public policies designed to
quickly and significantly reduce emissions of global warming pollutants
from power plants, cars and trucks, and manufacturing facilities.
Cap
global warming emissions. The United States should establish mandatory,
sciencebased limits on carbon dioxide and other global warming
pollutants that reduce emissions from today’s levels within 10 years,
by 15-20% by 2020, and by 80% by 2050. Adopt complementary clean energy
policies to reduce global warming emissions. To achieve these
reductions, the United States should adopt strong policies to improve
the efficiency with which we use fossil fuels and increase our use of
clean, renewable energy.
Encourage action at the state level.
Federal action to reduce global warming pollution should promote
innovative approaches at the state level and not impede individual
states or groups of states from pursuing policies that go above and
beyond the commitments made by the federal government.
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