Heatwave

The far north town of Iqaluit in Canada is experiencing extraordinary heat. On July 15, the temperature reached an all-time record of 75F. This is similar to what happened in the town/city of Tiksi, Russia on July 29th when the temperature there reached 80-F (26.4 C). Tiksi is located 350 miles north of the Arctic circle. Temperatures in that region are running 30 degrees higher than normal. About two or three weeks ago I mentioned a story in The Independent (from
London) reporting that the Arctic ice cap has melted by some 40% to 50%. The Independent didn't mention a time frame. Well, here's a time frame mentioned in The Seattle Times of July 15: "The Arctic ice field has shrunk by 40 to 50 percent the last few decades and lost 10 percent of its thickness, studies show." The story also contains evidence of a warming climate in Alaska, including this: "Gunter Weller, director of the Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, said mean temperatures in the state have increased 5 degrees in the summer and 10 degrees in the winter over the last 30 years." Also: "In many areas of interior Alaska, the permafrost has warmed to within 1 degree of freezing." The The Seattle Times article is called Far North Record Heatwave - Summer 2001

Offered by Mike.