Extreme hot spells rising

[xchrom]

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/342823/title/Extreme_hot_spells_rising

It’s not your imagination. Not only are extremely hot temperatures occurring more frequently across the globe, but those heat waves are getting more severe.

Back in the 1950s, temperatures on any given summer day were just as likely to be near average as they were to be unseasonably high or low. Climatologist James Hansen of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City likens that scenario to rolling a die with two sides each corresponding to low, average and above-normal temperature.

Since the 1980s, that metaphorical die has increasingly become weighted toward delivering a warm day, Hansen and his coworkers report August 6 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In fact, Hansen says, since 2000 it’s as though on any roll almost 4.5 sides will draw hotter than average summer heat.

Hansen says the study also suggests that a new level of extreme heat is emerging “that almost never occurred 50 years ago.” Formerly striking about 0.2 percent of the Northern Hemisphere in any given summer, this degree of anomalous warmth now strikes about 10 percent of the land area. Within a decade, his data suggest, these hot spells could reach 16.7 percent of the hemisphere's summer weather.

[MADem]

1. It's been feeling like Florida in New England lately.

And not in a "Oooooh, nice....winter Florida!" way either. Humidity has been unbearable and temps higher than normal.

[Lifelong Protester]

2. I'd say same in WI

today is the first reasonable day in a long time (the morning low was below 70)

[MADem]

3. Here, too!

I've had to forego my little summer seaside vacation due to illness of family and a friend, and I'm not enjoying this shit one bit!

I have an underpowered window air conditioner, but it's better than nothing. I'm doing everything I can to keep the house cool; I'm also getting back into my childhood "midday siesta" that we all enjoyed in the heat of the day when I lived in southern Europe.

It's about the only way to handle this crap! I feel bad for people who have to work outdoors in this shit.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. We need to grow gills!

[MADem]

5. I was saying that just the other day! Great minds!! nt