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MET 12 Global Warming: Lecture 10

Impacts

Shaun TannerSan Jose State University

Outline:Outline: Extremes of 2010/2011

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One of the main effects of Global Warming is extreme weather events

The years of 2010 and 2011 have seen some of the most extreme weather on record

Let’s look at some examples…

Recent Impacts of Global Warming

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2010 tied 2005 as the hottest year on record

19 nations set All-time heat records

Covered 20% of Earth’s land surface area

Earth’s hottest year on record - 2010

Rotation over the Arctic reversed

Produced blizzards in the Earth

2010-2011 snowiest Winter on record in Northeast U.S.

Earth’s hottest year on record - 2010

Sep. 19, 2010: 3rd lowest extent on record

2010 lowest volume on record

2011 tied for lowest extent on record

Sea Ice, Lowest Volume On Record - 2010

Greatest ice loss by melting since 1958

Calving of 100 sq mile ice island

Record warm water along Green land West Coast

Record Melting In Greenland

El Nino/La Nina contributed to massive flooding

Second most extreme shift (1973)

Extreme Shift in El Nino

Near-record Summer water in tropical oceans causes extreme bleaching

Worst since 1998, when 16% of World’s reef were killed off

Second Worst Coral Bleaching

13% higher than second highest (1956)

Relatively dry conditions over oceans

Wettest Year Over Land

2nd 100-year drought in 5 years

Healthy Amazon is very important for a healthy Earth

Amazon Drought

Sea surface hottest on record in Atlantic

3rd most active on record (2005)

Numerous records set for individual storms

Active 2010 Hurricane Season

Only seven in record history

Anita was the 4th strongest of these

Rare Tropical Storm In South Atlantic

Jan 20-21, 2010 set low pressure records in 10-15% of U.S.

Hurricane-force winds noted in Arizona

Strongest Storm in Southwest History

Most expensive natural disaster ever for Pakistan

Killed 1985 people and affected 20 million

Pakistan Flood

Old record (99F) exceeded five times in two-weeks

Hit 101F on July 29, 2010

Killed 55,000 (deadliest in history) and cost $15 billion

Cut wheat output by 40%

Russian Heat Wave of 2010

Most expensive natural disaster in history ($30 billion)

Wettest Spring in 111 years

Queensland rainiest year on record

Australian Flooding 2010-2011

Killed 528 people Caused $1 billion in damage Left 2.2 million homeless Colombia’s deadliest flooding disaster

Colombia Flooding 2010