The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported that last year the global temperatures were 1.1C above the long-term average, placing 2021 in the top seven warmest years on record (tying with 2018).

The heat came with yet another marked increase in weather extremes. The nod for most spectacular and damaging one goes to heat waves. Western Canada experienced maximum temperature anomalies of more than 6 C in some regions and an unheard of 49.6 C in the town of Lytten, which weathered the extreme heat to then be wiped out by a massive wildfire.

Why so special? Lytten is at 50 N on the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains

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2021 also was a La Nina year. This Pacific Ocean system typically results in a cooler year across the globe than normal. This time La Nina was trumped by global warming, but did manage to cause a slight reduction in the upward trend – sufficient reduction for WMO to predict that 2021 may end up being cooler than any year we will experience in the foreseeable future.

Australia was more impacted by La Nina. Our annual temperatures were the coolest since 2012, but they were still higher than any recorded year prior to 1980. Here on the Peninsula, the combination of rainy and hot conditions has made for some uncomfortable working days and steamy nights.

– Article by Greg Holland.