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Humans have caused 1.5 °C of long-term global warming according to new estimates

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399 points gmays | 3 comments | 17 Nov 24 18:49 UTC | HN request time: 0.672s | source
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rr808 ◴[17 Nov 24 20:19 UTC] No.42166837[source]▶
It feels like we're getting much more than 1.5 degrees. Here in NYC it used to snow several times a month, we've had one tiny storm the last two years. Just 20 years ago I rarely used AC in the summer, now its on nearly every day from May to September. Its not just that the temperatures are more variable, and the rainfall patterns are much more random it really feels like we're at +4 degrees already.
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1. kbutler ◴[17 Nov 24 20:21 UTC] No.42166856[source]▶
You're probably feeling the urban heat island effect.
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2. treyd ◴[17 Nov 24 20:31 UTC] No.42166953[source]▶
How does that explain the change in long term weather when the city is already heavily developed.
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3. kbutler ◴[18 Nov 24 02:43 UTC] No.42169275[source]▶
One factor: 38% of population in NYC had air conditioning in 1970, 90% do now.

The OP mentioned this as a symptom - "20 years ago I rarely used AC in the summer, now its on nearly every day from May to September." Increased AC use and the associated waste heat is a significant contributor to the urban heat island effect. https://news.asu.edu/content/excess-heat-air-conditioners-ca....