Background Articles

Average daytime temperatures in Guatemala have risen over the past decade, while crop-damaging frosts are more common.

The drought has had damaging economic and ecological impacts.

In the Eureka Sound Lowlands on Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg islands, the permafrost is more than half a kilometre deep, and the average air temperature is –19.7 C. But higher summer temperatures have caused the earth to collapse.

A high of nearly 27 degrees Celsius in Ylivieska on the west coast was said to be unusual at this time of year.

The die off of Western Red Cedar trees on East Vancouver Island due to drought and severe weather has First Nations extremely worried. Cedar is a critical part of first nations culture and as Skye Ryan reports, there is growing concern the dying trees will have a ripple down effect.

Some Western red cedars are struggling after repeated bouts of drought conditions and experts say expect the tree to vanish for good in spots with shallow, dry, rocky soil.

Overall, the 12 months ending in April were the wettest 12-month period on record in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, whose records on the subject go back to 1895.

Due to the recent devastating drought, soybean production in Uruguay is forecast to drop to 1.7 million tons in 2017-18, according to an April 30 Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Researchers have determined that, when ground ice is thicker, reindeer make for the coast. They don't eat kelp when they don't have to.

Since 1972, the giant island’s ice sheet has lost 11 quadrillion pounds of water.

The Czech Hydro-meteorological Office says this winter has been one the warmest ever in this country.

The average temperature for the entire country was 1.2 degrees above normal in March. It is thus the twelfth month in a row that the temperature in Norway has been above normal.

March becomes the hundredth month in a row with temperatures above normal. "It is unique and shows how fast climate change is happening in the Arctic," says climate scientist Ketil Isaksen at the Meteorological Institute (MET).

The record early departure of the sea ice offshore Nome (March 12), and ice gone missing from Norton Sound astounded weather experts.

Colorado has seen more 2,500 avalanches this season, some larger than any on record.

Warmer seas have led the fishery to move 300 kilometers further northeast - towards the North Pole. At the same time, cruising traffic in the outlying sea areas is increasing.

Last year's drought summer resulted in halved grass crops in Eastern Norway compared to the previous year, according to recent figures from Statistics Norway. - The consequences of the drought continue to affect the daily lives of many farmers, says Lars Petter Bartnes, leader of the Norwegian Farmers' Union.

The 2015 to 2016 El Niño event brought weather conditions that triggered regional disease outbreaks throughout the world.

While most of Canada has been experiencing a colder winter, Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk have had their warmest February since 2006.