This Was the Warmest Spring on Record

As the US experienced the warmest spring since records began to be kept in 1895, scientists warned that the planet could be reaching a tipping point beyond which temperatures will soar to disastrous heights, producing an epidemic of wildfires.

Climatologist Jessica Rennells says, "June 1 marked the end of climatological spring, the months of March, April and May. All of the first-order stations in the Northeast ranked in their top three warmest springs, 28 of the 35 had their warmest spring on record. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that this is the warmest spring in the US since record keeping began in 1895.

"Not only did the record breaking March contribute to this, but May was warm as well, with 32 of the first-order stations ranking in their top 10 warmest Mays. This warm trend has continued for more than a year at 15 of the stations, where above normal temperatures have continued for at least 13 consecutive months."

NOAA Climatologist Jake Crouch says that having over 12 consecutive months with temperatures in that range cannot be a random event. CNN quotes him as saying, "For that to happen 12 times in a row in a random circumstance is one in 540,000."

Biologist Anthony D. Barnosky says that nations are at a crossroads "where if we recognize these major ways we are changing the planet and actively guide how we are making those changes, we can move our biosphere in directions we want it to.

"I see people are clever and resourceful when they realized there is a major global problem. My fear is that we keep our heads in the sand and we don’t recognize these things going around us until it is too late."

In other words, it’s not too late yet, but it ALMOST is.