Northern Siberia Hits 90F

Hitting 90F is hot for most places on the planet. Hitting 90F is uncommon at higher latitudes. Hitting 90F in Siberia, and even moreso for northern Siberia is hard to ignore. As some have noted, it threatens the “perma-” part of permafrost. The planet is warming, but each region reacts differently. The Arctic is warming significantly faster than other places. Decreased sea ice means less reflected sunshine which means higher temperatures which means less sea ice, in a reinforcing loop. As the air warms, the tundra and permafrost are releasing more carbon dioxide and methane, further increasing greenhouse gas emissions in another reinforcing loop. Temperate zones are seeing increases which are easier to see because they are happening in population centers, but the increases aren’t as dramatic as what’s happening in neighboring regions. The consequences are more than just warmer days, or more unsettled weather. If Nature got to vote, corrective actions might happen more quickly; but the votes are happening where sentiment is only shifting by a few degrees.

“An Arctic Heatwave Pushed Temperatures 80% Higher Than Usual Last Week” – Quartz