Antarctica Hit by Crazy Record High Temperature at 17.5°C (63.5°F)

Temperature Extreme of 17.5°C Recorded in Antarctic Continent

Researchers at World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have announced new records for the highest temperatures recorded in the Antarctic Region.

A record high temperature 17.5°C (63.5°F) was recorded at Experanza base, an Argentine  research base near the northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula. The temperature extreme was recorded on March 24, 2015, WMO reported after reviewing data around Antarctica as part of its “continuing efforts to expand a database of extreme weather and climate conditions throughout the world.”

The highest temperature for the “Antarctica Region” (defined by the WMO and United Nations as all land and ice south of 60°S) of 19.8 degrees Celsius (67.6 degrees Fahrenheit) was observed on 30 January 1982 at Signy Research Station, Borge Bay on Signy Island. 

The highest temperature for the “Antarctic continent” defined as the main continental landmass and adjoining islands is the temperature extreme of 17.5°C (63.5°F) recorded on 24 March 2015 at the Argentine Research Base Esperanza located near the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. 

Thirdly, the highest temperature for the Antarctic Plateau [at or above 2500 meters (8202 feet)] was the observation of -7.0°C (19.4°F) made on 28 December 1980 at an Automatic Weather Station (AWS) site D-80 located inland of the Adélie Coast. 

The lowest temperature yet recorded by ground measurements for the Antarctic Region, and for the whole world, was −89.2°C (-128.6°F) at Vostok station on 21 July 1983.

Antarctica in 6 Seconds

• Area: 14 million km² (about twice the size of Australia)
• Climate: Cold, windy and dry.
• Average annual temperature:  Ranges from about −10°C on the Antarctic coast to −60°C at the highest parts of the interior.
• Ice sheet:  Up to 4.8km thick, contains 90% of the world’s fresh water.

The Antarctic Peninsula (the northwest tip near to South America) is among the fastest warming regions of the planet, almost 3°C over the last 50 years. Some 87% of glaciers along the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula have retreated in the last 50 years with most of these showing an accelerated retreat in the last 12 years.

2014 Hottest Year on Record: NOAA

UPDATED January 17, 2014

2014 Hottest year on record at 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20th century average

The December 2014 average combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the highest on record since record-keeping began 135 years ago, at 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20th century average of 12.2°C (54.0°F), making 2014 the warmest year on record, according to the latest State of the Climate report released by NCDC/NOAA.

January–December 2014 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies in degrees Celsius

 

Selected Highlights

• The December 2014 globally-averaged temperature for land and ocean surfaces combined was 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.2°C (54.0°F), the highest on record for December since records began in 1880.
• The January–December temperatures were warmer than average across the vast majority of the globe during 2014, resulting in  record warmth for 2014, at 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20^th century average.
• The 2014 average global ocean surface temperature was also the highest on record, at 0.55°C (0.99°F) above average.
• The highest temperature anomalies (more than 5°C / 9°F above the 1981–2010 average) were observed in parts of Alaska and Siberia.

December 2014 Selected Climate Anomalies and Events Map

Source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for December 2014, published online January 2015, retrieved on January 16, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/12.

The latest data show that 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have occurred this century.

2001-2010 was the warmest decade on record.

The Atmospheric Temperatures

Two different analyses examined NOAA satellite-based data records for the lower and middle troposphere and the lower stratosphere.

• The 2014 temperature for the lower troposphere (roughly the lowest five miles of the atmosphere) was third highest in the 1979-2014 record, at 0.50°F (0.28°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH), and sixth highest on record, at 0.29°F (0.16°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS).
• The 2014 temperature for the mid-troposphere (roughly two miles to six miles above the surface) was third highest in the 1979–2014 record, at 0.32°F (0.18°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by UAH, and sixth highest on record, at 0.25°F (0.14°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by RSS.
• The temperature for the lower stratosphere (roughly 10 miles to 13 miles above the surface) was 13^th lowest in the 1979–2014 record, at 0.56°F (0.31°C) below the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by UAH, and also 13^th lowest on record, at 0.41°F (0.23°C) below the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by RSS. The stratospheric temperature is decreasing on average while the lower and middle troposphere temperatures are increasing on average, consistent with expectations in a greenhouse-warmed world. [NOAH]
  

Related Links

• 2014 U.S. Temperature Tops 20th-Century Average (Again) January 10, 2015
• Year-to-Date Global Temperature Highest on Record December 16, 2014

Temperature Records Broken in Austria, Hungary

All-time High Temperature Records Broken in Austria, Hungary (possibly

Temperatures have climbed to all-time highs in Austria and neighboring Hungary amid a persistent heat wave that has plagued the region for nearly two weeks.

Temperature in Vienna, the Austrian capital, climbed to all-time high of 40.5ºC (105 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday, shattering the previous record of 39.9ºC (104ºF) set just five days earlier.

Previously, the highest recorded temperature in Vienna was 38.9C set on July 8, 1957 at Mariabrunn station in Hadersdorf, said a report.

In Hungary, Serbia and Poland temperatures climbed to record or near-record highs of 40ºC on Thursday,

Officials in Budapest warned temperatures on paved roads could climb to as high as 60ºC.

“Croatia sent two water-dropping planes to Bosnia earlier in the week to help battle wildfires set off by drought and sweltering heat that threatened several villages. A Russian aircraft was dispatched to fight blazes in Serbia,” reported AP.

Related Links

• Shanghai Sets Yet Another Record High Temp. August 7, 2013
• Shanghai Raises Heat Alert to ‘Red’  August 6, 2013

Shanghai Sets Yet Another Record High Temp.

Shanghai issues a fifth red alert for heat, as city sets a new record high of 40.8ºC

Having experienced its hottest July on record, Shanghai set a record-high temperature of 40.6ºC on July 26. That record was broken today, when the mercury soared to a new high of 40.8ºC (105.5ºF), said  a report.

The city also set a new record for the number of consecutive hot days in July, with temperatures exceeding 38ºC for eight straight days.

The heat is expected to persist in Shanghai until Sunday, forecasters said.

The heat wave is reportedly the worst to hit China in 140 years, leaving scores of people dead.

Among the effects of the scorching summer heat has been a rise in demand for ambulances. “Ambulances are being dispatched 1,000 times a day, while on extremely hot days it’s more than 1,100 times,” said Shanghai Medical Emergency Center.

Severe Drought Continues to Spread in SW China

Meantime, a severe drought continues to spread across southwest China affecting at least 15.11 million people in one province alone.

Drought in southwest China’s Guizhou province, which began mid-June, has spread to 27 counties, leaving 13 areas severely affected, said the Guizhou Provincial Government.

Drought has affected tens of millions of people in southern, southwestern, eastern and central China, leaving millions of people and livestock short of drinking water, and damaging or destroying millions of hectares of crops.

Mining every last drop of water

Original caption: Villagers search for water in a karst cave at Shimen Village of Songtao County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Aug. 6, 2013. A lingering drought has left about 2.25 million people short of drinking water in the province. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu). More images…

Original caption: Farmers prepare to dig a well on the dried riverbed in Shitingzi Township of Qidong County, central China’s Hunan Province, Aug. 1, 2013. As of July 31, lingering droughts have affected many parts in Hunan. Nearly 1.29 million people lack adequate supplies of drinking water, and a total of 786,000 hectares of farmland is damaged by the drought. (Xinhua/Long Hongtao). More images…

Farmers fear for crops as S. China drought drags on

Original caption. Photo taken on Aug. 2, 2013 shows a dried corn in Baji Village of Zunyi County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. Lingering droughts in Guizhou have affected more than 12 million people. Over 2 million people lack adequate supplies of drinking water, and a total of 12.7 million mu (about 847,300 hectares)of farmland is damaged by the drought. (Xinhua/Yang Ying). More images…

Related Links

• Major Catastrophe Unfolding in China
• China’s Latest Drought Disaster Figures

States of Emergency Declared in 4 States and DC as Storm Death Toll Rises

District of Columbia, Maryland, Ohio and the two Virginias declare States of Emergency amid rising storms toll

Deadly storms across Eastern U.S. have claimed at least 13 lives and left many injured, hundreds homeless and about 6 million utility customers, or an estimated 20 million people, without power amid sweltering heat wave.

Widespread damage and power losses have been reported across a vast region ravaged by deadly storms since Friday.

The storms have left a trail of destruction from Indiana to New Jersey, with the worst-hit areas being in Washington Metropolitan area, Maryland, West Virginia, and suburban Virginia.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell called the widespread power losses as “the largest non-hurricane power outage in Virginia history,” as more storms threatened. “This is a very dangerous situation,” the governor said, “the next few days in Virginia are going to be very, very difficult.”

• The deadly storms claimed at least 6 lives across Virginia (pop: ~ 8.1 million), and left about 2.5 million customers, or an estimated 7.5 million people, without power. [Includes about 120,000 customers in Richmond area and 680,000 in northern Virginia.]
• More than 3.5 million homes and businesses supplied by Dominion Virginia Power in Indiana, Ohio and Virginia have been affected.

In Ohio, excessive heat, widespread power losses and utility damages prompted Gov.  Kasich to declare a state of emergency. As of Saturday morning, about 1 million homes and businesses, or an estimated total of 3 million people, still faced power outages.

“I’m very concerned with the problems created by the combination of power outages and severe heat, and so I’ve declared an emergency for all of Ohio so that state resources and personnel can help local governments meet the needs and challenges that they face.” Kasich said.

• The Disaster President [Barrack Obama] has since declared Ohio a Federal Disaster Area.

In Maryland, at least 800 people were left homeless after storms tore off the roofs of two apartment buildings in Riverdale Park, said Mayor Vernon Archer.

• Governor O’Malley declared a State of Emergency following the devastation.
• About 1 million utility customers in Maryland, an estimated 3 million people, were still without power early Saturday morning, “similar to the number that lost power in 2003 when Tropical Storm Isabel hit the state,” said a report.

Across West Virginia (pop: ~1.9 million), where Gov. Earl Ray had already declared a state of emergency, some 700,000 customers, or an estimated 1.7 million people, were without power in 53 of the state’s 55 counties.

• “Those winds were so strong and over such a wide area,” the governor told reporters. “It’s going to take several days to get power back on.”
• The Disaster President declared West Virginia a Federal Disaster Area on Saturday.

In Washington, the utility company Pepco reported more than 440,000 outages in the Capital.

In Indiana, at least 135,000 customers, or an estimated half a million people, lost power.

Atlantic County, New Jersey, declared a state of emergency due to the violent storms which left more than 200,000 customers, or an estimated 750,000 people, without power.

• In Salem County NJ, officials declared a state of emergency after storms left at least 2 people dead, causing widespread damage and cutting power to at least 10,000 homes and businesses.
• The Mayor of Vineland (Pop: 65,000), a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, also declared a disaster emergency.

Pennsylvania: about  40,000 customers lost power.

Kentucky and North Carolina:  at least 2,500 homes and businesses lost power.

Illinois: Commonwealth Edison power utility reported more than 210,000 outages.

FirstEnergy, AEP Ohio and BGE (Maryland) had reported a total of about 1.6  million power outages.

See links for details of heat wave and the new record high temperatures set in the U.S.

• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand

Risk of Severe Thunderstorms Continues Tonight As Heat Continues Across South: NWS

Scattered thunderstorms expected tonight and Sunday over the Central Plains, Midwest and East Central States. Some thunderstorms will be severe with damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes.

US Weather Hazards Map, July 1, 2012

Mega Heat Wave

Dangerous heat is forecast to continue throughout the South.  Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories remain in effect  in parts of more than 2 dozen states across the southeast and lower half of the Mississippi Valley with triple-digit temperatures forecast across the southern third of the U.S., said NWS.

About 150 all-time high temperature records have been broken in recent days.

Millions of people have been urged to seek out shelter amid triple-digit heat and large-scale power outages.

High Temperature Forecast for July 1, 2012.