Climate unraveling across planet: 1000 record highs broken in U.S. in one week

June 28, 2012 – CLIMATE – Hundreds of heat-related records recently have fallen across the United States. In the past week, 1,011 records have been broken around the country, including 251 new daily high temperature records on Tuesday. Tulsa tied its calendar day record high for June 25, 105 degrees, on Monday. The heat is creating consequences ranging from the catastrophic to the comical, from wildfires in the Rocky Mountains to frying bacon on an Oklahoma sidewalk. If forecasts hold, more records could fall in the coming days in the central and western parts of the country. University of Victoria climate scientist Andrew Weaver says the current heat wave “is bad now by our current definition,” but that this will be “far more common in the years ahead.” No matter where you are this week, the objective is the same: stay cool. –Tulsa World 

India bakes in lingering heat wave: The sweltering heat wave that had much of North India in a stranglehold for over two months eased marginally today with sporadic showers in many places pushing down the mercury level. A brief spell of light rains in capital Delhi, however, failed to bring much relief with the mercury level stubbornly staying above normal. The maximum temperature was recorded at 40.2 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, while the minimum settled at 31 degrees Celsius. After simmering for over a month under an intense hot spell, the desert state of Rajasthan heaved a sigh of relief with the mercury level dropping marginally in many places. Churu remained the hottest in the state with a day temperature of 42.3 degrees Celsius, while SriGanganagar and Bikaner recorded maximums of 41.6 and 39.7 degrees Celsius respectively. According to the MeT department the temperature in many parts of the state dropped below 40 degrees Celsius, bringing respite to people. Kota, Barmer and Jaipur recorded a high of 39.4, 39 and 38.7 degrees Celsius respectively, it said. The heat wave ebbed marginally in Punjab and Haryana as well with the temperature recording a drop of up to three notches. However, a high humidity level of up to 60 per cent played spoilsport and forced most people to remain indoors. Amritsar was the hottest in the region with a high of 41.2 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, while Hisar and Ludhiana recorded maximums of 40.6 degrees and 38.7 degrees Celsius respectively, both a notch each above normal. Among other places, temperatures at Ambala and Patiala settled at an identical high of 38.1 degrees Celsius, a degree above normal, while Chandigarh saw a maximum of 37 degrees Celsius. –IBN