Global Warming Program Reports
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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 doubledsince 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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