By David Kowalski
The front-page illustration titled “The big chill” in The News on
Feb. 20 was an eye-catching reminder of the extremely cold temperatures
we experienced at the beginning of 2015. January’s high temperatures of
all but seven of the days were below the long-term average, as were all
but two of the 20 days in February thus far.
Some may interpret such extended cold spells as evidence against global warming. However, that view is incorrect.
Global
warming is assessed by measuring temperatures at numerous locations on
land around the world as well as in the oceans that make up more than 70
percent of Earth’s surface. Measurements are made over time and the
global average temperature is determined.
The Buffalo area
comprises only a tiny fraction of the surface of the globe, and so local
temperatures make only a small contribution to the global average
temperature.
Despite the local “big chill,” the planet continued
to warm in January. In fact, the global average temperature was the
second-highest since records began in 1880, according to the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This finding follows in the wake
of 2014 as the hottest year on record and the 38th consecutive year of
above-average global temperatures.
NOAA displayed its global
analysis of January temperatures on a world map showing that the New
York State region, including Buffalo, was “cooler than average.” In
contrast, however, the Western United States and even parts of Alaska
showed above-average warming, as did most other regions on land and in
oceans around the globe.
NOAA’s map is below.
[Click image to enlarge]
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This post originally appeared in The Buffalo News on March 1, 2015 as a letter to the editor. It can be viewed at BuffaloNews.com
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