Global Temperatures Continue To Soar Rapidly

You may be experiencing the temperature hike yourself, but scientist have backed up the claims with some pretty hot data!

This week, scientists at NASA released their global climate analysis for 2012 which revealed that Earth continues to experience warmer temperatures than several decades ago. The past year was the ninth warmest year on record since 1880, continuing what appears to be a long-term global trend of rising temperatures. The ten warmest years in the 132-year record have all occurred since 1998, and the last year that was cooler than average was 1976. The hottest years on record were 2010 and 2005.

Read more: Universe Today

In some parts of the planet record temperatures are tumbling the previous records as we see unprecedented highs being reached.

In Australia temperatures are soaring way above the blistering averages of past decades and many people have had to be treated for heat exhaustion.

Brazilian tourist Eduardo Dossantos and his girlfriend Silvia Miximo like to think of themselves as heat-fit, but Sydney’s record day packed a punch and sent them straight for the pools at Bronte. “I’m used to the heat, but I’m having trouble handling this,” Mr Dossantos said. “It’s pretty bad.” The NSW Ambulance Service treated more than 200 people affected by the heat, including 55 cases of heat exposure. More than 240 cases of heat exposure have been seen by the service in NSW alone in the past 10 days. Crews treated 11 people, including children, for heat stress at a Glenrock Scout Camp at Kahibah near Newcastle as the heat reached its peak yesterday. Read More: The Australian

The global temperature rise has had a knock on effect as ocean temperatures have risen by as much as 5 degrees Celsius in some locations. The rise in ocean temperatures has lead some scientists to believe the warmer ocean temperatures are responsible for an increase in shark attacks off the west coast of Australia.

A rare ocean heat wave may to be blame for the recent spike in shark attacks in western Australia. Scientists suggest that a 5-degree rise in water temperature last summer may have sparked the increase in shark activity. When ocean temperatures rise, pockets of cold water form close to shore, attracting the feared underwater predators, Dr. Rick Fletcher, director of the West Australian Department of Fisheries, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Read more: NY Daily News

As we all start to experience the reality of climate change first hand, I think we can all agree… Somethings going on!

Whether or not the extreme weather patterns being experienced across the planet are linked to anthropological global warming or astronomical cyclical events, no one can disagree.. Something is going on around here.

The Arctic sea ice is melting at a rapid rate. The Arctic ice sheet has been reduced to a record low and researchers believe that the event can be linked directly to man made global warming. The melt which used to happen over thousands of years is now happening in a life time.

Some theorists have suggested that we have come to a tipping point in climate change and that it is too late to turn back the tides. Others have suggested that this is just a cycle that the earth goes through and in the grand scheme of things, us humans are insignificant.