The latest information regarding this past year is that it was the warmest on record for the United States since records were kept since 1895.
The abnormally dry, warm winter, followed by a dry, hot spring and summer with little rain caused severe drought conditions over more than 60 percent of the country. Then, a severe derecho swept across the Midwest in late June 2012 and caused millions of dollars in property damage and widespread power outages.
Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricanes Isaac and Sandy and the November nor’easter that dropped heavy snow across the northeast rounded out the weather disasters for 2012, causing additional billions of dollars in property damage.
If this is not an indication that global warming is happening, I do not know what is. We need to prepare for more extreme weather events, such as we have just experienced this past year. They will be occurring with increasing frequency and violence.
John Amato
Fresh Meadows
