This graphic puts global warming in full perspective

Climate Central

To say the world is having a streak like no other is an understatement. Global warming has made cold scarce on a planetary scale.

This March clocked in as the second warmest March on record when compared to the 20th century average, according to newly released data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NASA data published last week came to the same conclusion, comparing temperatures to a 1951-1980 baseline.

The NOAA data shows the planet was 1.9°F (1.05°C) above the 20th century average for March, the first time any month has breached the 1°C threshold in the absence of El Niño. This March is the latest freakishly hot month following three years in a row of record heat.

NOAA and NASA baselines don’t really tell the whole story. How much the world has warmed since pre-industrial times is a crucial measuring stick for international climate talks and a more accurate representation of how much climate change is altering the planet.

Using the baseline of 1881-1910, a new, more dire picture of global warming emerges. This March was 2.4°F (1.3°C) above the pre-industrial average by that measure. More notably, this March marks a whopping 627 months in a row of warmer than normal temperatures. If you were born after December 1964, you’ve never experienced a month cooler than average on this planet.

To understand what that looks like, take a peek at the global temperature chart below. Each month is represented by a box. Cool blues have been disappearing, replaced by a wave of unending heat. Climate change is likely to continue the streak of warmer than normal months into the foreseeable future as temperatures keep marching upward.

climate change

Source: Climate Central. Reproduced with permission.

Comments

7 responses to “This graphic puts global warming in full perspective”

  1. Chris Fraser Avatar
    Chris Fraser

    Either Mt Pinatubo is coming back or we’re cooked !

    1. D. John Hunwick Avatar
      D. John Hunwick

      This sort of graphic should be sent tot he NEWS at the ABC, Landline, Foreign Correspondents, the DRUM. Why do I hear about this on the internet and not on TV and in the local paper??

      1. Steven Gannon Avatar
        Steven Gannon

        The main reason is editorial directives, go from there. All the climate change stats and trends point north, as does atmospheric CO2. Everyone alive today will continue to live on a warming planet.

      2. Joe Avatar
        Joe

        Local paper….the Rupert owns most of them and they either never report anything to do with Climate Change / Global Warming or his pet paper The Australian just goes hard on its “anti renewables” mantra. The ABC is about the only TV station that gives any time to reporting on climate change but it doesn’t help when they have Chris Uhlmann getting his story / facts wrong in knocking renewables.

        1. Michael Avatar
          Michael

          Hi Joe the jig is up the only thing to do now is to vote Green and hopefully get Social Respect. Them other fools are just Greedy Self righteous Gutless Scumbags that have no niceness about them at all and couldn’t managed a junior under 16s football team. The good thing about GLOBALWARMING is that it does not discriminate. All the best.

        2. D. John Hunwick Avatar
          D. John Hunwick

          I agree with you! It is just frustrating to see that our society is easily derailed when it comes to responding in a sensible way to the near future

  2. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    Just think that someone has a plan that could slow GLOBALWARMING and then providing an opportunity to wind the greenhouse gases back by various ways.
    The first 6 measures would be an incredible feat to achieve. Imagine this.
    You would have to cease all wars everywhere around the world.
    You have to get the worlds population to agree not to have children for the next twenty years.
    You would have to legalise Euthanasia world wide.
    You would have to get all Car makers world wide to cease production of fossil fuel powered family type cars and bikes. And produce battery powered replacements.
    You would have to support the Growing of trillions of tons of Hemp to replace petrochemical products. This is a major carbon sink and has the ability to do so much more.
    All Buildings roves will have to be white from now on all around the world. Including solar panels.
    That’s just the beginning of a very long list of what one would have to call impossiblities. Be nice to everybody is what we have left that we can do.

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