2006 Winter and Spring Average Temperatures Soar
The U.S. average temperature in the first half of 2006 was 51.8 degrees, which was 3.4 degrees higher than the average temperature during the 20th century.
Alaska was the only state that experienced slightly cooler-than-average temperatures (about half a degree) during the January-to-June period. No other state had cooler than average temperatures—or even close. Five states—Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri—experienced record high average temperatures between January and June 2006.
Globally, parts of Eastern Europe and Russia experienced cooler-than-average temperatures, while temperatures were above average everywhere else in the world.
Widespread Drought and Wildfire
June 2006 was the second hottest June on record for both the U.S. and the world, and 45 percent of the contiguous United States was in moderate-to-extreme drought in June, an increase of 6 percent from May.
The unusually warm, dry conditions sparked more than 50,000 wildfires in the United States between January and June, consuming millions of acres at a rate nearly twice the 10-year average for this time of year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
As June ended and July began, the heat grew even worse. Excessive heat warnings were issued in several U.S. cities as temperatures hit triple digits in many parts of the country.
Nation’s Icebox Turns Balmy
Even in Frazier, Colorado, which sits at an elevation of 8,550 feet and calls itself the nation's ice box, the temperature reached into the upper 80s, surprising longtime residents.
Connie Clayton, 58, a lifelong resident of Frazier, told The Associated Press: "It's not supposed to be hot like this. Lately there have been evenings when you could sit outside at 10 p.m. without a coat. All my life I couldn't do that.”
Global Warming in Action
The high average temperatures recorded for the first half of 2006 mark the continuation of a global warming trend that scientists attribute to widespread climate change caused, at least in part, by carbon dioxide emissions that artificially increase the greenhouse effect, which is a natural part of the Earth’s climate.
The past four years are among the five warmest years on record. At the current rate, 2006 could end up setting a new record.
Governments around the world favor different approaches to the growing problem of global warming. Some, like the Bush administration, favor voluntary action by industry and reliance on technology advances. Others call for mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions like those set forth in the Kyoto Protocol. And a growing number of governments are re-examining the potential widespread use of nuclear energy. But as the debate continues, temperatures continue to rise.
More information:
Report from the National Climatic Data Center
Media coverage:
First half of 2006 warmest on record in U.S.—MSNBC
Temperatures Hit Upper 90s Coast to Coast—The Washington Post
