“Altering the Odds:” Texas Heat Waves 20 Times More Likely than 50 Years Ago

This year has seen the hottest half year in US history. Last year was one of the 15 hottest years ever recorded. It not only seems hotter. It's actually getting hotter. There's a reason for that, and it ain't sunspots.

Researchers working at universities in Oregon and England have estimated that "La Nina" weather patterns combined with global warming have increased the likelihood of such record-setting heat waves in Texas by 20 times compared to the 1960's.

Their findings were part of the annual "State of the Climate" report prepared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) along with a study published in the July issue of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. "Climate change has altered the odds of some of these events occurring," said Tom Peterson of NOAA's National Climatic Data Center.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) steadily increased in 2011, with the global annual average exceeding 390 parts per million (ppm) for the first time since instrumental records began. Many climate scientists now believe that we must decrease that number to no more than 350 ppm in order to avert the worst consequences of climate change.

Dallas City Hall just got through patting itself on the back for reaching its GreenHouse Gas reduction goals of 6 years ago – although it appears that a lot of GHG pollution within the city of Dallas wasn't actually inventoried to get that pleasant result. The city is now grappling with a new gas drilling ordinance that could send annual GHG totals for Dallas soaring. What is the responsibility of a city that, on the one hand, promotes itself as a regional leader in air quality efforts, and on the other hand, wants to open itself up to the un-and-under-regulated emissions of gas mining and processing?