加州创下全球最高温记录，高达54摄氏度

加州的死亡谷（Death Valley）记录了自1931年以来世界上最高的温度。8月16日，死亡谷的最高温度达到华氏130度（54.4摄氏度）。世界气象组织说，在全球范围内，这是自1931年以来地球上记录的最高温度。根据美国国家环境信息中心的数据，2020年的前7个月是自有记录以来的第二个最热的上半年，上一次如此高温还要追溯到141年前。

这表示，2020年的极端气候情况又增加了——包括火灾、热浪和热带风暴。前段时间，两次飓风和三场热带风暴连续袭击了美国的48个州，使纽约和东北地区的数百万人断电。

笼罩着加州的巨大的热圆顶（heat dome）让加州打破了最高温记录。过去，这些热圆顶会在停留几天后向其他地区移动。但是随着全球变暖，赤道和北极的夏季温度之间的差异缩小，导致环绕地球的空气流（jet stream）变得越来越弱。这就导致热圆顶有时会滞留在某地，停留的时间比以往更长，破坏力更强。

In Death Valley, the high Aug. 16 reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 Celsius), which if verified will be the hottest August reading ever and the warmest its been there since 1913, the National Weather Service said. Globally, it would be the highest temperature recorded on Earth since 1931, the World Meteorological Organization said.

The first seven months of 2020 were the second warmest on record going back some 141 years, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

It was a California weekend for the history books, adding to 2020’s global tally of extremes—including fires, heatwaves and tropical storms. This year has arguably offered a glimpse into the future of our climate-changed world. Two hurricanes and three tropical storms have hit the 48 contiguous states, including Isaias, which knocked out power to millions in New York and the Northeast.

It’s this large heat dome—stuck like a big rock in a stream—that’s allowed temperatures to break records across California. A resulting energy spike tied to air conditioning triggered the subsequent blackouts that have left millions without power.

It used to be that these heat domes would move on after a few days. But as the world warms, they can sometimes become stuck. And the longer they stay stuck, the more destructive they can become. These weather patterns are likely to be more common as the jet stream, that river of air that circles the globe, becomes weaker.  source

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