Arctic Ground Temperature Hit 48 Degrees Celsius, Breaking All Records
This is the second consecutive year where Siberia has seen irregularly warmer temperatures during summers. Last year, temperatures rose as high as 4.4 degrees Celsius above their annual average
The Arctic, the part of the world that¡¯s often associated with freezing temperatures, is now seeing temperatures of 118 degrees Fahrenheit or 48 degrees Celsius.
Reuters
Also Read: Record-Breaking Heatwave Hits The Arctic, As Russia Saw Its Hottest Winter Ever
This is according to the data read by Copernicus Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B satellites that have managed to give us a glimpse of the temperatures on the surface on June 20.
This was revealed by the EU¡¯s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space through its Twitter handle.
#ImageOfTheDay
¡ª ?? DG DEFIS #StrongerTogether (@defis_eu) June 21, 2021
On 20 June several temperature records were broken in #Arctic #Siberia
In Saskylah (71.5N, 114.7E)
??air T reached 31.9¡ãC ?? (the highest value since 1936)
??Land Surface Temperature was about 39¡ãC
??@CopernicusEU #Sentinel3 ????image acquired on the same day pic.twitter.com/gUGzPfAlRa
The piping hot temperatures were spotted near Verkhojansk -- a town in Eastern Siberia. However this town wasn¡¯t the only to experience the sudden shift in temperature -- Govorovo also saw ground temperatures of 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius) whereas Saskylah saw temperatures going 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) during this heat wave.
NASA says that the land surface temperature is indicative of how hot the surface of the Earth would feel upon touching a particular spot. It is however crucial to note that these temperatures aren¡¯t similar to air temperatures that are often shown in weather reports or on the apps of our smartphones. But the air temperatures weren¡¯t as cold either.
Also Read: Climate Change Saw Siberia Hit 38¡ãC, May Be Hottest Temperature In Arctic Circle
Temperatures in Verkhojansk reached 86 degrees, way above Arctic¡¯s average summer temperatures that¡¯s often seen around 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius.
Reuters
Also Read: Asleep For 24,000 Years Under Siberian Ice, This Microbe Just Woke Up In Russia
This is the second consecutive year where Siberia has seen irregularly warmer temperatures during summers. Last year, temperatures rose as high as 4.4 degrees Celsius above their annual average, causing the snow to melt as well as destroy the permafrost -- the frozen time capsule that helps scientists denote the kind of creatures and animals that lived thousands of years ago.
Not so surprisingly, Siberia isn¡¯t the only place affected by global warming. Recent reports revealed Greenland¡¯s ice sheet was on the verge of tipping due to accelerated melting caused by climate change. Experts warned that melting of this ice sheet could result in a rise of sea levels by 23 feet.
