Snowfalls in late spring, abnormal heat and heavy rains are natural consequences of human activity. A half-degree rise in global temperatures has exacerbated extreme weather conditions on Earth, scientists say.
Climatologists from the Postdam Institute compared the two periods - 1960-1979 and 1991-2010 - and found that between them the average temperature on the planet increased by 0.5 ° C.
At the same time, the dry seasons have become longer and more intense - showers and thunderstorms. Moreover, the average summer temperature has increased by more than 1 degree, and winters have become warmer by 2.5 ° C.
The researchers' data are published in the journal Nature Climate Change. These are reported briefly by Phys.org.
Weather changes, scientists summarize, go beyond natural variability, as they are to blame for the burning of fossil fuels. In the future, an upward trend in global temperatures could lead to crop failures, a shortage of fresh water and record heat.
Elena Yakovleva