Thursday, July 03, 2025

Arctic Sea Ice Extent Record Low

The average monthly Arctic sea ice extent for the first half of this year was a record low among all the first halves going back to 1979. Second was 2018, 10,000 km2 higher (0.01 Mkm2). At this pace it will lead to an annual low. 

June's SIE was 3.4% below May's. The average month year-to-date (YTD) has been 3.8% lower than last year's values. If either of those continues for the rest of the year they'd make this year a new annual record by about 0.12-0.14 Mkm2 respectively. Even if the rest of the months of this year are identical to the corresponding months last year, Arctic SIE would tie 2016 for a record low. 

This seems to have snuck up out of nowhere.


(MA in the label box = moving average)

In other numerology, Antarctic SIE in June was 3rd-lowest in the record, and the year-to-date average is 6th. 

UAH's global lower troposphere temperature for June was the 2nd lowest, after last year's. 

The Hadley Central England Temperature (HadCET) was 5th highest going back to 1659. The year-to-date average monthly temperature is also 5th lowest. Its graph is looking pretty dramatic:
   

The South Pole temperature was 21st highest out of 68 years. The year-to-date average is 13th highest of 69 years. As always things are kind of weird down there:

Tuesday, July 01, 2025

Europe's Heat Wave

The heat wave in Europe over the last week:
Note: these aren't temperatures but a metric of "conditions." 

The Eiffel Tower was closed yesterday because of the heat. 42.8°C in Portugal (109°F). Mora, Portugal 46.1°C (115°F) yesterday. (That's like Arizona!)
Working outdoors has also been banned during the hottest parts of the day on building sites, roads, and farms until September, in Lombardy.

In Germany, record-breaking temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit could take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hospital admissions rose by 20% in the Tuscany region in Italy, according to local reports.
Link.

I found this image depicting air conditioning around the world. Only 10% in Europe? Or is that just the UK? 17% in Portugal. 19% in Germany. 40-50% in Italy. 



I couldn't find a systematic list of all countries.

BTW under 5% of building in India have A/C. 

I don't have A/C here in Oregon, which is fine with me, I don't like it at all because of the feeling of being cooped up. I prefer to keep the windows open, which is how I grew up, and I use a fan. I keep track of the daily weather where I live, and in the last 12 years (2012-2024) the average maximum daily temperature here is 39.2°C (102.5°F), occurring on average on July 25th. But the average of the last 5 years is 41.2°C (106.2°F).

I survived the great 2021 heat wave here in the Pacific Northwest, which got up to, where I live, 47.2°C (117°F), and I didn't have A/C. Not any permanent damage as far as I'm concerned, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a little of something. Uncharacteristically, that maximum occurred on June 28th, showing there was something more going on besides just global warming. 

The heat wave was characterized as a heat dome because of the extreme temperatures and the exceptionally strong ridge centered over the area, whose probability of formation was linked to the effects of climate change by multiple studies.
I think I once read it was the 5th worst heat wave in recorded history, but I can't find that now.