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The 20th century's 10 warmest years
all occurred in the last 15 years of the
century. Of these, 1998 was the warmest year
on record. Snow cover in the Northern
Hemisphere & floating ice in the Arctic
Ocean have decreased. Globally, sea-level
has risen 4-8 inches during the
past century. Worldwide precipitation over
land has increased by about one percent.
Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases are likely to accelerate the rate of climate change. Scientists expect that the average global surface temperature could rise 0.6 - 2.5 degree Celsius in the next 50 years and 1.4 - 5.8 degree Celsius in the 21st century, with significant regional variation. Evaporation will increase as the climate warms, which will increase average global precipitation. Sea level is likely to rise two feet along most of the U.S. coast. Sources: US National Climate Data Center |
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