Earth’s climate unraveling? Winter disappears across portions of the northern hemisphere

January 7, 2012 – More than 300 record high temperatures were set in 21 U.S. states Thursday. But the heart of the unusual warmth concentrated in Plains, where some areas experienced temperatures 40 degrees above average. Several locations set all-time January record high temperatures, including Huron (65 degrees) amd Mitchell (68 degrees) in South Dakota (SD) and Minot (61 degrees), Fargo (55 degrees) and Jamestown (56 degrees) in North Dakota. (Source: CapitalClimate). What distinguishes this warm spell is the amount by which some records were broken. Consider Rapid City, SD hit 73, obliterating the old record by 13 degrees. (That 73 degree high temperature was 4 above the high temperature of 69 in Miami, Fl). Aberdeen, SD reached 63, smashing the old record of 46 by 17 degrees and setting a new monthly record. AccuWeather highlighted the following incredible record: “…in Philip, S.D., the mercury reached a balmy 74 degrees, which absolutely obliterated the old record of 46 set back in 2002.” In Minnesota, several locations reached the 60s for the first time ever during the first week of January. Alexandria reached 55, crushing its old record of 38 (from 1984) by an amazing 17 degrees. In Nebraska, record highs were set in Omaha (66), North Platte (69), Valentine (69) and Imperial (73, source: USA Today, AP). Sidney Nebraska’s record high of 74 broke the previous record of 62 and tied its monthly record. Record highs were also set throughout the state of Iowa, several by at least 10 degrees. –WPB , Duluth News Tribune

Enjoy the winter chill before scorcher summer sets in. The year 2012 may turn out to be among the top ten warmest years globally, and in the country, since 1850 – over 160 years. The year is also expected to be warmer than the previous year, which was the ninth warmest year for India since 1901. Weather scientists have predicted that 2012 is expected to be around 0.48 degree Celsius warmer than the average temperature or the long term global average. However, he added that the new predictions about 2012 need not be a cause for alarm in the country. According to the weather department’s analysis, while 2011 was the ninth warmest year since 1901, 2010 was the warmest year on record since 1901. The other warmer years were 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1998, 1999, 1958 and 1941. Temperatures were generally near normal over most parts of the country in 2011 except parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura where these were above normal by over one degree Celsius. Indian weather scientists said that generally La Nina, the weather phenomenon which is likely to cause higher temperatures in 2012, has positive impact on monsoons in India. –India Today http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/uk-scientists-predict-hottest-summer-in-2012/1/167404.html