Heat Invades Cool Heights Over Arizona Desert

[YankeyMCC]

(snip)
SUMMERHAVEN, Ariz. — High above the desert floor, this little alpine town has long served as a natural air-conditioned retreat for people in Tucson, one of the so-called sky islands of southern Arizona. When it is 105 degrees in the city, it is at least 20 degrees cooler up here near the 9,157-foot summit of Mount Lemmon.

Mount Lemmon, one of the so-called sky islands of southern Arizona, has an altitude of 9,157 feet. More Photos »

But for the past 10 years or so, things have been unraveling. Winter snows melt away earlier, longtime residents say, making for an erratic season at the nearby ski resort, the most southern in the nation.
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The American Southwest has been warming for nearly 30 years, according to records that date to the late 19th century. And the region is in the midst of an eight-year drought. Both developments could be within the range of natural events.

But what has convinced many scientists that the current spate of higher temperatures is not just another swing in the weather has been the near collapse of the sky islands and other high, formerly green havens that poke above the desert.
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“A lot of people think climate change and the ecological repercussions are 50 years away,” said Thomas W. Swetnam, director of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “But it’s happening now in the West. The data is telling us that we are in the middle of one of the first big indicators of climate change impacts in the continental United States.”
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“A lot of people think climate change and the ecological repercussions are 50 years away,” said Thomas W. Swetnam, director of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “But it’s happening now in the West. The data is telling us that we are in the middle of one of the first big indicators of climate change impacts in the continental United States.”
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/27/us/27warming.html?hp

[lapfog_1]

1. loved hiking Mt. Lemon and the Catalinas as a kid

And it always reminded me more of Colorado than the desert southwest. Beautiful Alpine meadows and pine trees, and much, much cooler than Tucson. Sigh.

[Delphinus]

2. This is the most telling statement:

“A lot of people think climate change and the ecological repercussions are 50 years away,” said Thomas W. Swetnam, director of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “But it’s happening now in the West. The data is telling us that we are in the middle of one of the first big indicators of climate change impacts in the continental United States.”
(snip)

Happening before our very eyes - if only we would see.

[YankeyMCC]

3. That was the quote that jumped out at me too

and I posted this in E/E although I normally like to post in LBN to get more attention to the urgency of the issue but seems like every time I do that with a story like this it just gets moved here by the mods. :shrug: