![Death Valley record heat](https://www.commondreams.org/media-library/death-valley-record-heat.jpg?id=32138187&width=1200&height=400&quality=90&coordinates=0%2C600%2C0%2C600)
A thermometer shows a temperature of 130deg Fahrenheit (54deg Celsius) at the Furnace Creek Visitor's Center at Death Valley National Park in California on June 17, 2021. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
A thermometer shows a temperature of 130deg Fahrenheit (54deg Celsius) at the Furnace Creek Visitor's Center at Death Valley National Park in California on June 17, 2021. (Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Last year saw record-breaking high temperatures recorded at more than 400 weather stations around the world, with meteorologists voicing alarm over what climate scientists say is the shape of things to come, according to a report published Friday.
The Guardianreports that 10 countries--Canada, Dominica, Italy, Morocco, Oman, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States--set or matched their national monthly high temperature records last year.
"Climate change is real and it's now," tweeted Catherine McKenna, founder of Climate and Nature Solutions and a former Canadian environment and climate change minister.
McKenna noted the numerous Canadian temperature records that were shattered last year, including in Lytton, British Columbia, where the mercury soared to 49.6degC, or 121.3degF, in late June.
\u201cTen national temperature records were broken or equalled in 2021, including Lytton, BC where the temperature reached 49.6 degrees. \n\nClimate change is real and it's now.\u201d— Catherine McKenna (@Catherine McKenna) 1641565525
According to The Guardian:
A few continental and planetary records fell too: Africa had its warmest June and September ever. August brought 48.8degC (119.8degF) in Syracuse, Italy, the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe. July had already brought 54.4degC (130degF) in Furnace Creek in the U.S. Death Valley--the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth.
"You can certainly see the effect of climate change in our weather in Kenya, and globally," Patricia Nying'uro of the Kenyan Meteorological Department and co-founder of Climate Without Borders--an international group of broadcast meteorologists and weather presenters--told the paper.
"We're just putting together the data for 2021, but we think we will have seen an annual temperature which is 2.1degC higher than normal for some parts of the country," she added. "The shifts are very noticeable, from one extreme to another in a very short space of time."
Meteorologists around the world said the event that made the biggest impression on them last year was the heatwave that hit western North America in June and July, killing hundreds of people in Canada and the United States and setting records from Alaska and the Yukon Territory to California.
Related Content
"Of course 2021 was full of extreme events," Maximiliano Herrera, who tracks extreme weather around the world, told The Guardian. "But if I have to name one, I'll name what struck every single climatologist and meteorologist in the world... the mother of all heatwaves."
"The magnitude of this event surpassed anything I have seen after a life of researching extreme events in all modern world climatic history in the past couple of centuries," he said.
Climate scientists say such record-breaking heatwaves are likely to become increasingly frequent in the coming decades.
\u201c"We must expect extreme event records to be broken - not just by small margins, but quite often by very large ones" says climate scientist Professor Rowan Sutton.\n\nWe face a huge challenge to improve preparedness, build resilience and adapt society.\n\nhttps://t.co/hJCcqmSaVb\u201d— National Centre for Atmospheric Science (@National Centre for Atmospheric Science) 1627374883
"We must expect extreme event records to be broken," Rowan Sutton of the National Center for Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading in England warned last July, "not just by small margins but quite often by very large ones."
The world is a pretty dark place right now. Economic inequality off the charts. The climate emergency. Supreme Court corruption in the U.S. and corporate capture worldwide. Democracy in many nations coming apart at the seams. Fascism threatens. It’s enough to make you wish for some powerful being to come along and save us. But the truth is this: no heroes are coming to save us. The only path to real and progressive change is when well-informed, well-intentioned people—fed up with being kicked around by the rich, the powerful, and the wicked—get organized and fight for the better world we all deserve. That’s why we created Common Dreams. We cover the issues that corporate media never will and lift up voices others would rather keep silent. But this people-powered media model can only survive with the support of readers like you. Can you join with us and donate right now to Common Dreams’ Mid-Year Campaign? |
Last year saw record-breaking high temperatures recorded at more than 400 weather stations around the world, with meteorologists voicing alarm over what climate scientists say is the shape of things to come, according to a report published Friday.
The Guardianreports that 10 countries--Canada, Dominica, Italy, Morocco, Oman, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States--set or matched their national monthly high temperature records last year.
"Climate change is real and it's now," tweeted Catherine McKenna, founder of Climate and Nature Solutions and a former Canadian environment and climate change minister.
McKenna noted the numerous Canadian temperature records that were shattered last year, including in Lytton, British Columbia, where the mercury soared to 49.6degC, or 121.3degF, in late June.
\u201cTen national temperature records were broken or equalled in 2021, including Lytton, BC where the temperature reached 49.6 degrees. \n\nClimate change is real and it's now.\u201d— Catherine McKenna (@Catherine McKenna) 1641565525
According to The Guardian:
A few continental and planetary records fell too: Africa had its warmest June and September ever. August brought 48.8degC (119.8degF) in Syracuse, Italy, the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe. July had already brought 54.4degC (130degF) in Furnace Creek in the U.S. Death Valley--the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth.
"You can certainly see the effect of climate change in our weather in Kenya, and globally," Patricia Nying'uro of the Kenyan Meteorological Department and co-founder of Climate Without Borders--an international group of broadcast meteorologists and weather presenters--told the paper.
"We're just putting together the data for 2021, but we think we will have seen an annual temperature which is 2.1degC higher than normal for some parts of the country," she added. "The shifts are very noticeable, from one extreme to another in a very short space of time."
Meteorologists around the world said the event that made the biggest impression on them last year was the heatwave that hit western North America in June and July, killing hundreds of people in Canada and the United States and setting records from Alaska and the Yukon Territory to California.
Related Content
"Of course 2021 was full of extreme events," Maximiliano Herrera, who tracks extreme weather around the world, told The Guardian. "But if I have to name one, I'll name what struck every single climatologist and meteorologist in the world... the mother of all heatwaves."
"The magnitude of this event surpassed anything I have seen after a life of researching extreme events in all modern world climatic history in the past couple of centuries," he said.
Climate scientists say such record-breaking heatwaves are likely to become increasingly frequent in the coming decades.
\u201c"We must expect extreme event records to be broken - not just by small margins, but quite often by very large ones" says climate scientist Professor Rowan Sutton.\n\nWe face a huge challenge to improve preparedness, build resilience and adapt society.\n\nhttps://t.co/hJCcqmSaVb\u201d— National Centre for Atmospheric Science (@National Centre for Atmospheric Science) 1627374883
"We must expect extreme event records to be broken," Rowan Sutton of the National Center for Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading in England warned last July, "not just by small margins but quite often by very large ones."
Last year saw record-breaking high temperatures recorded at more than 400 weather stations around the world, with meteorologists voicing alarm over what climate scientists say is the shape of things to come, according to a report published Friday.
The Guardianreports that 10 countries--Canada, Dominica, Italy, Morocco, Oman, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States--set or matched their national monthly high temperature records last year.
"Climate change is real and it's now," tweeted Catherine McKenna, founder of Climate and Nature Solutions and a former Canadian environment and climate change minister.
McKenna noted the numerous Canadian temperature records that were shattered last year, including in Lytton, British Columbia, where the mercury soared to 49.6degC, or 121.3degF, in late June.
\u201cTen national temperature records were broken or equalled in 2021, including Lytton, BC where the temperature reached 49.6 degrees. \n\nClimate change is real and it's now.\u201d— Catherine McKenna (@Catherine McKenna) 1641565525
According to The Guardian:
A few continental and planetary records fell too: Africa had its warmest June and September ever. August brought 48.8degC (119.8degF) in Syracuse, Italy, the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe. July had already brought 54.4degC (130degF) in Furnace Creek in the U.S. Death Valley--the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth.
"You can certainly see the effect of climate change in our weather in Kenya, and globally," Patricia Nying'uro of the Kenyan Meteorological Department and co-founder of Climate Without Borders--an international group of broadcast meteorologists and weather presenters--told the paper.
"We're just putting together the data for 2021, but we think we will have seen an annual temperature which is 2.1degC higher than normal for some parts of the country," she added. "The shifts are very noticeable, from one extreme to another in a very short space of time."
Meteorologists around the world said the event that made the biggest impression on them last year was the heatwave that hit western North America in June and July, killing hundreds of people in Canada and the United States and setting records from Alaska and the Yukon Territory to California.
Related Content
"Of course 2021 was full of extreme events," Maximiliano Herrera, who tracks extreme weather around the world, told The Guardian. "But if I have to name one, I'll name what struck every single climatologist and meteorologist in the world... the mother of all heatwaves."
"The magnitude of this event surpassed anything I have seen after a life of researching extreme events in all modern world climatic history in the past couple of centuries," he said.
Climate scientists say such record-breaking heatwaves are likely to become increasingly frequent in the coming decades.
\u201c"We must expect extreme event records to be broken - not just by small margins, but quite often by very large ones" says climate scientist Professor Rowan Sutton.\n\nWe face a huge challenge to improve preparedness, build resilience and adapt society.\n\nhttps://t.co/hJCcqmSaVb\u201d— National Centre for Atmospheric Science (@National Centre for Atmospheric Science) 1627374883
"We must expect extreme event records to be broken," Rowan Sutton of the National Center for Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading in England warned last July, "not just by small margins but quite often by very large ones."