Statesman Journal: Research reveals warming trend in Oregon in the past five years

Research reveals warming trend in Oregon in the past five years

Beth Casper
Statesman Journal

September 15, 2006

In the past five years, temperatures recorded at Salem's McNary Field have been almost 1 degree above the normal average temperature of the three previous decades.

That warming trend is the same across the seven monitoring stations in Oregon and the rest of the country, according to a report released Thursday by the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group.

The Oregon results show:

The first seven months of 2006 were 2.3 degrees warmer than the 20th-century average.

July 2006 was the third-warmest July on record, 4 degrees warmer than the 20th-century average.

Average temperatures from 2000 to 2005 were above the historical trend since 1971 at every monitoring station in Oregon.

Average January-to-July temperatures in 2006 also were above the historical trend at every station in Oregon.

"We want people to understand that global warming is happening," said Jeremiah Baumann of the group. "It is already happening, and the things people are experiencing in life are related to global warming."

In a CBS News/New York Times Poll from May, 66 percent of more than 1,200 adults nationwide said they think global warming is an environmental problem that is causing a serious impact now.

Baumann said temperatures will continue to rise unless governments and people take quick and significant actions to reduce global-warming pollution.

Oregon has convened a task force to recommend solutions, adopted stricter standards for car emissions and pushed for renewable-energy sources.

Salem City Councilor Rick Stucky recently introduced a climate agreement for consideration by the council. Only part of the agreement passed.

The information "does show that we are having a negative impact on our environment locally," Stucky said. "It does show that there is not only a worldwide impact but there is also a local aspect as well."

bcasper@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 589-6994

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