Northeast

Northeast

The following is a compilation of climate change impacts occurring right here, right now in the Northeast, as well as projected impacts, economic and human health consequences, and notable recent events.

Midwest

Midwest

The following is a compilation of regional climate change impacts in the Midwest pulled from the Third U.S. National Climate Assessment, Risky Business, and other sources.

Country Climate Pledges

Country Climate Pledges

These are the intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) that have been officially submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Wildfires

Wildfires

Wildfire season has gotten almost 20 percent longer over the past 35 years worldwide as a result of rising global temperatures and fewer rainy days.

Hottest Record

2015 Sees Hottest June-August on Record

This Thursday, September 17, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will likely confirm other sources’ finding that August 2015 was the hottest August in the global temperature record by a wide margin. NOAA will also likely confirm that this year’s …

Alaska

Alaska: Climate Change Ground Zero

The Earth’s temperature is now increasing faster than anytime in the last 1,000 years. Alaska and the Arctic, temperatures are rising at twice the global rate—more rapidly than anywhere else in the world, making the region ground zero for climate change. The best estimate is that human activity is responsible for all of the observed increase in global temperatures since 1985. The effects of the temperature changes are transforming a once-frozen seascape into an evolving, navigable ocean. These rapid changes occurring in the North have created a new Arctic climate system.

Hottest Year On Record

2014: Putting The Hottest Year On Record In Perspective

2014 was 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20th century average of 14.1°C, making it the hottest year on record since NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center began taking measurements in 1880. The record surpassed the previous hottest year record, shared by 2005 and 2010, by 0.04°C (0.07°F). As the Earth heats up, new temperature records are increasingly common.

Atmospheric River Storm

The Climate Context of California’s Atmospheric River Storm

With the drought-causing high-pressure zone dubbed the “Ridiculously Resilient Ridge” pushed aside for now, a powerful storm associated with what are called “atmospheric rivers” is currently drenching the California Bay Area. Atmospheric rivers are relatively narrow, long streams of clouds and atmospheric water vapor that are associated with major storms in the Pacific.

Photograph on the beach of high waves with the sunset sun. El Niño event

El Niño

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a large-scale ocean-atmosphere interaction in the tropical Pacific Ocean. ENSO consists of oscillations between a warm phase (El Niño) and a cool phase (La Niña).

IPCC members in the presentation of the Working Group II

Working Group II

Working Group II (WGII) covers the impacts and vulnerabilities caused by climate change and discusses pathways for adaptation.

Photo of three mascots skiing at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia

Snow in Sochi

Above-average temperatures in Sochi are causing delays, injuries, and more at Olympic skiing and snowboarding events.

Foggy forest photo

Debunking the Top 10 Climate Change Myths

Mythbusting: an unfortunately necessary part of climate communications There are a number of myths that opponents of climate action use to make their case. These attacks on climate science are repeated often, despite their innacuracy. Here's a quick rebuttal to …