The map below shows a 10-year comparison of land surface temperatures across the U.S.
“While blazing wildfires throughout the central United States consume hundreds of homes and force thousands to flee into this weekend, a sizzling map captured by a NASA satellite only days before helps reveal why.
“In just eight days this month abnormal land surface temperatures within Colorado and the Nebraska, Utah and Wyoming regions have razed averages felt in the same period over the last 11 years according to the map released this week.
“Painting the central U.S. in red, the same area currently battling unrelenting wildfires, the map taken by NASA’s Terra satellite brandishes a depiction of what they politely call: ‘unusually hot weather.’”
dailymail: “Anomalies: This NASA provided map of land surface temperature anomalies for June 17 to 24, 2012 shows high (reds) and low (blue) temperatures compared to the average in the same eight day period between 2000-2011
“‘Land surface temperatures (LST) are distinct from the air temperatures that meteorological stations typically measure. LSTs indicate how hot the surface of the Earth would feel to the touch.
“‘High temperatures dry out vegetation and decrease the relative humidity, making it easier for fires to ignite and spread,’ NASA explained with their graphic.”
WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE?
