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August 16, 2023
It is HOT!!!
Furnace Creek, Death Valley on August 16, 2020
It is hot! Temperature of 100°F was recorded at RDU around 4pm today (August 15, 2023) with the heat index values as high as 110. The hottest temperature ever recorded at RDU is 105°F. It occurred three times in 2012 (June, July), one time (July) in 1952, once (August) in 1988, and once (August) in 2007.
NOAA published the Global Climate monthly report for July, 2023 yesterday. The July global surface temperature was 1.12°C (2.02°F) above the 20th-century average of 15.8°C, making it the warmest July on record. Globally, July 2023 set a record for the highest monthly sea surface temperature anomaly (0.99°C/1.78°F) of any months in NOAA's 174-year record.
Think Global, Act Local.
When we think about the climate change impacts at the global scale, it seems almost impossible to alter the greenhouse gas emission rates. But there are so many things we can do in our daily lives.
Save energy: It is hard to set the AC a bit higher when it is so hot outside, but each degree that you set your thermostat above 72°F would save you up to 3% on your energy bill. And Department of Energy suggests to set AC at 78°F.
Save gas: We can walk, ride a bike, or take public transportation to get somewhere instead of driving.
Eat local food: Eating more vegetables and fruits and less meat and dairy can significantly lower the environmental impacts. And if you eat locally harvested vegetables and fruits, you are saving the transportation cost.
I still enjoy summer even when it is brutally hot, but it is easier to be active and do more things when temperatures are "normal". Let's do something about it so that we can enjoy summer more.
"Pour ce qui est de l’avenir, il ne s’agit pas de le prévoir, mais de le rendre possible. " - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
(As for the future, it is not a question of foreseeing it, but of making it possible.)
A few photos from Joshua Tree National Park when the temperature was around 110°F!
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