Poor Patagonian Cryptids and Glaciers: 2010 hottest year ever

 

Global Warming trend, 2010 hottest year on record. Source: World Meterological Organization

2010, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) was 0.53°C (0.95°F) above the mean temperatures for the period 1961-90. [1]

Furhtermore the Arctic ice is vanishing, despite December being the coldest on record in many European countries for over one century, Arctic sea-ice cover in December 2010 was also the lowest on record. Its surface was only 12 million km² which is 1,35 million km² below the average coverage during the period 1979-2000.

2010 was aobut 0.01°C (0.02° F) warmer than 2005 and 0.02°C (0.05°F) above 1998. Though for the layman, we could say that 2010 was hotter than the other two years (the second and third warmest on recod), considering the error margin for the data (± 0.09°C or ± 0.16°F), all three are tied from a statistical point of view. Nevertheless, since 1998 we have experienced the three hottest years since temperatures have been recorded scientifically.

Interestingly the global temperature increase is not uniform. The WMO stated that:

2010 was an exceptionally warm year over much of Africa and southern and western Asia, and in Greenland and Arctic Canada, with many parts of these regions having their hottest years on record.
Over land few parts of the world were significantly cooler than average in 2010, the most notable being parts of northern Europe and central and eastern Australia.[1]

This hotter world with indeed have a negative impact on animals and plants, and, of course Patagonian cryptids. If the area becomes drier or warmer and tree coverage recedes the impact could be severe for Patagonian creatures. Glaciers are melting at a quick pace. The environment is shifting as you read this (see this article at the NY Times website on how animals are threatened by climate change).

What are you doing to help curb climate change?

Sources.
[1] World Meteorological Organisation, (2011). Press Release No. 906. 2010 Equals record for world’s warmest year , 20.01.2011.
[2] Rosenthal Elisabeth, (2011). For Many Species, No Escape as Temperature Rises. New York Times. 21.01.2011

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