10 warmest years in Lancaster County
Enjoying the warmth, Dylan Horst of Lancaster lets the disc fly in a game of disc golf in Buchmiller Park on Thursday.
The century continues to heat up.
The just-concluded 2012 was the second-warmest year on record in Lancaster County. Nationwide, the United States experienced its warmest year since records began in 1895.
So, it shouldn't come as a shock that Saturday and Sunday should reach the 60s both days here, perhaps even challenge the record high Saturday.
"This is kind of our January thaw — it's usually the third week of the month," observed Millersville University meteorologist Eric Horst of the upcoming shorts weather.
Saturday's record is 61. Sunday's is 70.
"If the sun is really out, we're going to hit 60 both days and maybe well into the 60s," Horst said.
But don't roll up your sleeves too far. The coldest weather of the season so far may be here by the end of next week.
On the other hand, we won't stay in the deep-freeze too long.
"It's going to be this progressive pattern where if you don't like the weather this week, wait until next week," Horst advised.
Meanwhile, the average annual temperature for the United States in 2012 was an astounding full degree warmer than the former warmest year in 1998, the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., reported.
Usually, average annual temperatures are within a tenth of a degree or so of other years. But the average temperature of 55.32 degrees blew away the previous record year.
Globally, the world experienced its ninth-warmest year on record, according to the Earth System Science Center at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Ala.
Man-made global warming was partly responsible for the record heat, as well as natural weather variations such as a strong La Nina weather pattern, scientists say.
"These records do not occur like this in an unchanging climate," Kevin Trenberth, head of climate analysis at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., told The Associated Press.
Many scientists agree global warming is caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, which sends heat-trapping gases into the air.
Horst, while saying "it's quite likely that global climate change played some role in the enduring warm spell we've experienced," is more cautionary.
"Global change can't be ruled out," he says. "It's something we don't understand. It's a factor. Whether it's a big factor, that's up for discussion."
Whatever the cause, seven of the warmest years on record in Lancaster County have occurred since 1998.
No one seems to debate that a La Nina pattern last year had a dramatic effect on the country.
A La Niña jet stream of air flow resulted in drier and warmer conditions across the United States.
Most striking and devastating was a drought that hit about two-thirds of the country. The drought was the worst since the 1950s and only slightly behind the Dust Bowl of the 1930s in intensity.
Drought wasn't the only weather extreme that made headlines in 2012. Superstorm Sandy devastated the East Coast.
In fact, the year had 11 disasters that, combined, caused more than $1 billion in damage, second only to 2011.
"A picture is emerging of a world with more extreme heat," Andrew Dessler, a Texas A&M climate scientist, told the AP.
"Not every year will be hot, but when heat waves do occur, the heat will be more extreme. People need to begin to prepare for that future."
acrable@lnpnews.com
[An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed a quote to Katharine Hayhoe, director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University. The quote is from Kevin Trenberth, head of climate analysis at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.]
