stefanthgedenier, cairns / Australia
13/06/2015 07:24
Siberia registers its warmest recorded spring sparking new fears for rapid climate change
World's coldest region defies its stereotype.
11
June 2015
Some
parts of Siberia were warmer than usual by 6C, with a host of
anecdotal examples of normal meteorological rules being turned on
their head. For a few days in late April, for example, the city of
Irkutsk boasted higher temperatures than Madrid.
The
ice on vast Lake Baikal was too thin or non-existent even in February
and March, forcing the cancellation of a number of events.
In
the past, it was safe to drive cars across the frozen lake, the
deepest in the world.
The
ice on vast Lake Baikal was too thin or non-existent even in February
and March, forcing the cancellation of a number of events. Picture:
eastland.ru
In
the Far East, in Sakhalin, bears woke earlier than usual, fooled by
the early heat. The same happened thousands of miles to the west in
Tomsk region.
Wild
fires were engulf large tracts of Siberia and the Russian Far East as
early as March.
By
25 March, a state of emergency was imposed against fires in the
Transbaikal region.
Worse
came in the Republic of Khakassia, and across both regions more than
30 people were killed, along with 3,200 domesticated animals.
By
25 March, a state of emergency was imposed against fires in the
Transbaikal region, worse came in the Republic of Khakassia, and
across both regions more than 30 people were killed. Pictures: Alexei
Volovikov, Ekaterina Chepelina
In
late May, forest fires in the parched Republic of Buryatia and
Irkutsk Region were 2.6 times larger than average.
Climate
monitoring by the Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia indicates
spring 2015 was the warmest in the entire 125-year history of regular
meteorological observations.
The
risks are the more natural disasters, for example flooding and
wildfires.
Climate
monitoring by the Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia indicates
spring 2015 was the warmest in the entire 125-year history of regular
meteorological observations. Pictures: Vera Salnitskaya
Experts
say these will be not only more frequent, but more powerful and
destructive especially in spring and summer.
Then
there is the threat of melting permafrost, resulting in the release
of poisonous gases frozen for thousands of years.