Yamba right on average when it comes to heat plot

A GRAPH of the maximum temperatures at Yamba in the past 100 years reveals we are right on the average indicator for global temperature rises over the century.

GOING, GOING: Yamba beach erosion at Whiting Beach on Saturday. Picture: Debrah Novak

A GRAPH of the maximum temperatures at Yamba in the past 100 years reveals we are right on the average indicator for global temperature rises over the century.

Global mean temperature has increased by around 0.74 °C and plotting the maximum temperatures at Yamba is consistent with that.

This rapid rate of warming is very unusual in the context of natural climate.

In the first half of the 20th century, increasing greenhouse gases, increasing solar radiation and a relative lack of volcanic activity all contributed to a rise in globally averaged temperature.

During the 1950s and 1960s, global temperatures levelled off. This is most likely due to an increase in reflective particles in the atmosphere, known as aerosols, from increased industrialisation and the volcanic eruption of Mt Agung in 1963.

Since the 1970s, increases in greenhouse gases have dominated over all other factors, and there has been sustained warming.

It is very unlikely that 20th century warming can be explained by natural causes alone. Almost all of the climate indicators show that climate change during the late 20th century is consistent with greenhouse gas increases.

Originally published as Yamba right on average when it comes to heat plot