Three years ago today Super-storm Sandy slammed the New York City tri-state area. Creating a record storm surge of 13.88 feet at the Battery in lower Manhattan and causing $70 Billion in property damages, it opened the region’s eyes to the dangers posed by rising sea levels. But, this issue is not limited to the northeast. It is a looming threat to all coastal communities in the US. In an effort to call attention to this critical situation, photographer John Ganis has created a series of images – and a soon to be published photo book – called “America’s Endangered Coast”.
Traveling from Texas to Maine, he documented sites that have been and will likely be impacted by either by storm surge flooding or tidal flooding. For each photograph he notes not only the location, but also its elevation above sea level. Of these images Ganis says, “Climate change is a fact and a predicament for mankind of great urgency that I feel compelled to address in my photographic work.”
The two main drivers of sea level rise are thermal expansion – a process in which water expands as it warms – and melting glaciers. Both are the result of rising global temperatures.
Since 1880, according to the IPCC, the average global sea level has risen about eight inches. Looking ahead, as sea levels continue to rise, future storm surges and tidal flooding events will have a higher starting point and will therefore be able to reach further inland. So, in comparison to the impacts of Sandy, a lesser storm could produce similar, if not worse, flooding in the future.
To see images from “America’s Endangered Coast”, visit: www.johnganisphotography.com/galleries/the-endangered-coast/
“House Site & Shrine, Brook Ave, Union Beach NJ (El. 5 ft.) 2013” Credit: John Ganis
Our global temperature continued its upward trend last month with September 2015 marking the warmest September ever recorded for the entire planet.
According to a report by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Earth’s combined average temperature for the month – over both land and sea surfaces – was 60.62°F, which is 1.62°F above the 20th century average. It surpassed the previous record set just last year by 0.19°F and marked the highest departure from average for any month on record. September was also the fifth consecutive month this year to break a monthly temperature record.
Although strong El Niño conditions – a natural climate phenomena that boosts oceanic and atmospheric temperatures – helped fuel September’s record warmth, it does not tell the whole story. The long-term trend of human-caused climate change was also a key factor. NOAA reports that fourteen of the fifteen warmest years on record have occurred since 2000 and they were not all El Niño years. This September, the globally averaged sea surface temperature was 1.46°F above the 20th century average of 61.1°F. That is the highest temperature departure for any September on record. And, as NOAA points out, “This departure from average is also 0.45°F higher than the global ocean temperature for September 1997, when the last strong El Niño occurred.”
While heat dominated most of the planet last month, some places were particularly warm, including most of North America. Here in the contiguous United States, it was our second warmest September on record. With a monthly temperature of 68.5°F, which is 3.7°F above the long-term norm, only September 1998 was warmer. In fact, most of the lower forty-eight states experienced exceptionally warm conditions and nine – Connecticut, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wisconsin – were record warm.
Year to date, the first nine months of 2015 were the warmest of any year on record. That puts 2015 well on track to becoming Earth’s warmest year ever recorded. Global temperature records date back to 1880.
Climate change is a complex scientific subject with a plethora of data-rich reports that detail its diverse impacts. Not everyone, however, responds to facts and figures or charts and graphs. That is why art can help broaden the public conversation and help create new pathways to understanding this critical issue.
Today, I will be giving a presentation that I developed called The Art and Science of Climate Change at the New York Photo Salon. Blending my two worlds, it introduces the basic science of climate change and explores how artists from around the globe are reacting to its various impacts and possible solutions.
If you are in the area, please stop in and say hello. The program begins at 6:30 PM.
The New York Photo Salon
School of Visual Arts (SVA)
136 West 21st Street, Room 418-F
(Between 6th and 7th Aves)
New York, NY 10011
Please contact me to arrange a presentation for your organization.
Our global temperature continued its upward trend last month with August 2015 not only marking the warmest August on record, but also closing out the warmest meteorological summer ever recorded for the entire planet.
According to a report by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Earth’s combined average temperature for August – over both land and sea surfaces – was 61.68°F, which is 1.58°F above the 20th century average. It surpassed the previous record set just last year by 0.16°F and was the sixth month this year to break a monthly temperature record. It also marked the 366th consecutive month that our global temperature was above its long-term norm.
Rising ocean temperatures compounded by El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific helped fuel August’s record warmth. The globally averaged sea surface temperature for the month was 1.40°F above the 20th century average, which makes it the highest temperature on record for any month. The previous record was set in July 2015.
The three-month period of June, July and August – known as the meteorological summer in the northern hemisphere – was also a record breaker! NOAA reports that Earth’s combined average temperature for the season – over both land and sea surfaces – was 1.53°F above the 20th century average. That is 0.20°F above the previous record that was set last summer.
While heat dominated most of the planet from June to August, some places were particularly warm, including much of Europe. Austria, France, and Switzerland each experienced their second warmest summer on record and Germany posted its third warmest. Even the southern hemisphere, where it was austral winter, saw warmer than usual conditions. Argentina experienced its warmest winter since national record keeping began there in 1961.
Here in the contiguous US, the summer of 2015 was our 12th warmest on record. While some of the central states saw average to below average temperatures, many of the western states were exceptionally warm. In fact, Oregon and Washington each experienced their warmest summer on record.
Year to date, the first eight months of 2015 were the warmest of any year on record. That puts 2015 on track to becoming Earth’s warmest year ever recorded. Global temperature records date back to 1880.
Credit: NOAA
2015 is well on its way to becoming Earth’s warmest year on record. Credit: NOAA
Many things in nature are adapted to certain climate conditions. That said, some are choosier than others. Giant Sequoia trees, the largest living organisms on the planet, need a “Goldilocks” type of environment to grow and reproduce. Visiting Sequoia National Park recently, I had the opportunity to learn more about the climate requirements of these amazing trees.
Needing conditions that are not too hot and not too cold, as well as not too wet and not too dry, Giant Sequoias grow naturally in only one place on Earth. That unique place is a narrow band about 70-miles long on the western slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains known as the Sequoia Belt. According to the National Park Service (NPS), these trees only grow at elevations between 5,000 and 7,500 feet. Temperatures above 7,500 feet are usually too cold and conditions below 5,000 feet are too dry. Within this limited range, about 75 groves reveal where conditions for the massive trees are just right.
These ideal conditions are produced by a combination of weather and topography. When moisture-laden air from the Pacific runs into the Sierras, it rises and cools. On average, it cools about 3.6°F for every 1000 feet it rises. Since cooler air holds less moisture than warm air, the moisture is dropped as rain and snow over the mountains with precipitation amounts generally increasing with elevation. While California is in the midst of a multi-year drought, the NPS says the area around Giant Forest (elevation 6400 feet) usually gets an average of 44 inches of precipitation a year. It also typically sees only one day a year with temperatures below 10°F.
Compared to other sites within a five mile radius, the average conditions in Giant Forest are perfect for the giant sequoias. Upslope, Emerald Lake (elevation 9200 feet) gets 59 inches in average annual precipitation and sees around ten days a year with temperatures below 10°F. Downslope, Ash Mountain (elevation 1700 feet), only sees about 26 inches of precipitation a year and the temperature reportedly never falls below 10°F.
Given the narrow natural range in which these giant trees are able to thrive, they face serious challenges from climate change. As temperatures increase, more precipitation is coming down in the form of rain instead of snow. This reduces the snowpack and the subsequent spring and summer melt water available to the trees during the region’s dry season. While the resilient mature sequoias – some are over 3000 years old – are not in immediate danger, researchers say these big trees were not made to withstand decades of drought. The younger trees – seedlings and saplings – on the other hand, face a more difficult struggle for survival. The drier conditions make it harder for them to develop robust root systems and also leave them more susceptible to wildfires, which are projected to increase.
Given the impressive age of some of these trees, they must have endured natural climate fluctuations in the past. This time, however, the human caused change is happening very quickly and is forecast to produce conditions unfamiliar to even these ancient giants. According to the US National Climate Assessment, the southwest – which includes California – is normally the hottest and driest part of the country, but climate change is making it even more so. The report shows that 2001 through 2010 was the region’s warmest decade on record with temperatures almost 2°F above historic averages. Looking ahead, it projects continued increases in average annual temperature and a decrease in precipitation. In the meantime, scientists continue to monitor and research the giant sequoias to better understand how they will react to our changing climate and to offer informed recommendations to evolving conservation strategies.
Below is a short video by The Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative (RCCI) on the impact of extended drought on Giant Sequoias. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Giant Sequoias (sequoiadendron giganteum) and Coastal Redwoods (sequoia sempervirens) are closely related, but are two different species.
Our global temperature continued its upward trend last month with June 2015 marking the warmest June ever recorded for the entire planet.
According to a report by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Earth’s combined average temperature for the month – over both land and sea surfaces – was 61.48°F, which is 1.58°F above the 20th century average. It surpassed the previous record set last year by 0.22°F and marked the fourth highest monthly departure from average for any month on record.
June was also the third month this year to break its monthly temperature record, joining March and May. The other months of 2015 each posted readings that ranked in their top five warmest.
For the oceans, the globally averaged sea surface temperature for the month was 1.33°F above the 20th century average of 61.5°F. That is the warmest reading on record for any June, eclipsing the previous record set just last year. It also tied with September 2014 as the highest monthly departure from average for any month.
While moderate El Niño conditions – a natural climate pattern that boosts oceanic and atmospheric temperatures – played a role in June’s record heat, it does not tell the whole story. The long-term trend of human-caused climate change was also a key factor. NOAA reports that fourteen of the fifteen warmest years on record have occurred since 2000 and they were not all El Niño years.
Year to date, the first six months of 2015 were the warmest of any year on record. Global temperature records date back to 1880.
Climate change is a complex scientific subject and there are a plethora of data-rich reports that detail its diverse impacts. Not everyone, however, responds to facts and figures or charts and graphs. That is why art can help broaden the public conversation and help create new pathways to understanding this critical issue.
Today, I will be giving a presentation on the “Art and Science of Climate Change” for a Human Impacts Institute event at the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn, NY. My talk will cover both the basic science of climate change and explore how artists from around the globe have been responding to its various impacts and possible solutions.
Earth’s climate is a complex system with many interacting parts, including the atmosphere, oceans, land surfaces, ice, and the sun. To better understand how it works and to make projections for its future behavior, scientists use computer-based simulations known as climate models.
These models, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), incorporate the physics and chemistry of the climate system’s various components. Using mathematical representations, they aim to answer questions such as when the next El Niño or La Niña event might develop and how the climate will respond to increasing amounts of greenhouse gas concentrations.
Developed from weather forecasting models, climate models look further out in time and involve an extremely large number of calculations. To run, they require very powerful computers. In fact, the WMO says it can take several months to complete a 50-year projection.
Dividing the planet into a three-dimensional grid, a climate model simulates the movement of air, water, and heat energy within each of its grid cells and evaluates interactions between them. All of these processes are based on the laws of physics. When all the processes from all the grids are linked together over time and space, the model simulates Earth’s climate.
As with weather, there are a number of different climate models in use around the globe. Some, according to the IPCC, perform better than others for particular aspects of the climate system. The variations in predictions that they produce are generally the result of differences in initial conditions, different parameters for interactions between parts of the system, and different estimates of future greenhouse gas emissions. That said, all the climate models included in the IPCC report agree that Earth’s average temperature is rising and expect it to continue to rise in the future.
To see if a climate model will perform well, it is tested against the past. This is a process called Hindcasting. If a model accurately predicts climate trends that have already taken place, it is expected to predict what might happen in the future with a reasonable amount of certainty. Models can also be refined as new sources of data become available.
Below is a short video by The National Academy of Sciences on the basics of climate modeling. Credit: NAS and YouTube.
Our global temperature continued to rise last month. In fact, May 2015 was the warmest May ever recorded for the entire planet.
According to a report by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, Earth’s combined average temperature for the month – over both land and sea surfaces – was 60.17°F. That is 1.57°F above the 20th century average. The previous record was set last year. NOAA also said the May 2015 global temperature “ties with February 1998 as the fourth highest monthly departure from average for any month on record. The two highest monthly departures from average occurred earlier this year in February and March.”
While heat dominated most of the planet last month, some places were particularly warm. Here in the US, five states – Alaska, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island – each had a record warm May.
Rising ocean temperatures, according to NOAA, helped fuel the month’s record warmth. The global sea surface temperature for May was 1.30°F above the 20th century average of 61.3°F. That is the warmest on record for any May surpassing the previous record set just last year. It should be noted, however, that moderate El Niño conditions were present across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean last month.
Year to date, the first five months of 2015 were the warmest of any year on record. Global temperature records date back to 1880.
Torrential rain events and the flooding they cause are nothing new. Global warming, however, is helping to make them more likely.
According to the most recent National Climate Assessment, heavy rain events – defined as the heaviest 1% of all rain events – have become heavier and more frequent across most of the US. The greatest increases have been observed in the northeast, mid-west, and southeast.
Climate scientists attribute this increase in heavy precipitation to our warming atmosphere. Simply put, warm air holds more moisture than cold air. And, the more moisture that builds up in the air, the more rain can fall.
The relentless rain and deadly floods in Texas last month made national headlines, but there are many other examples of similar events in the recent past. In September 2013, Colorado experienced catastrophic flooding caused by overwhelming amounts of rain in a short period of time. Locally, here in the NYC area, the town of Islip on Long Island saw more than 13 inches of rainfall in a single day last August. That equates to 29% of their average annual rainfall. The damage caused by that single event was estimated at $35 million.
As our global temperature continues to rise, experts say we should expect to see more extreme rain events, even in areas where overall precipitation is projected to decrease. In other words, when it rains, it will likely pour.
The map shows percent increases in the amount of precipitation falling in very heavy events from 1958 to 2012 for each region of the continental United States. These trends are larger than natural variations for the Northeast, Midwest, Puerto Rico, Southeast, Great Plains, and Alaska. The trends are not larger than natural variations for the Southwest, Hawai‘i, and the Northwest. Credit: 2014 US National Climate Assessment
