This is Catalina Island, across the channel from Santa Barbara — May, 2007.
Fires are burning on the Florida — Georgia Border — May, 2007.
Fires burned near Griffith Park, Los Angeles — May, 2007
Did I mention this is May, 2007? May! One doesn’t want to think about August. Meanwhile, the water flows in the Russian River, northern California, are being cut back due to fears of the coming drought. The snow pack in the Sierras is just 29% of normal.
NASA has just issued a report that its computer modeling is predicting a 10 degree (F) rise in average summer temperatures on the East Coast by 2080. That’s not the worst of it. The whole Mid West looks towards 108 degrees. Of course there are fewer people to die of heat stroke in Kansas so that’s mitigating….
A computer model projection of average daily maximum temperatures over the eastern United States for July 2085 (left) and July 1993 (right). Areas in violet shading show temperatures of 26°C (79°F); green 30°C (86°F); yellow 34°C (93°F); red 38°C (100°F); dark purple 42°C (108°F). (Credit: NASA/GISS)