The average temperature continues to increase with each passing year in the Mount Washington Valley. On a broader spectrum, the entire globe is also facing a prominent surge of warmer then normal air. There are months that have produced results to the contrary, but the majority of time has proven that the mercury level is on the rise. Such circumstances have prompted many weather hobbyists, meteorologists and governmental authorities to speculate the reasoning of such conditions. Believe it or not, one major factor of the temperature increase could be due to our lives.
It is undeniable that the population of the Mount Washington Valley has been, and continues to be, on the increase. Such a situation has also partially resulted in the enlargement of the downtown district of North Conway. While the existence of shopping malls and restaurants may be of great splendor for all, it could also backfire upon the environment. The likelihood of continued abnormal weather could be due to the phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect.
Extended periods of weather data prove that temperatures are now much warmer then in previous times. The mercury reaches the century mark in North Conway with more ease as each summer season passes by. Recent winter seasons have also forced snow lovers to speculate whether a forthcoming winter storm is contrived of the wintry precipitation. On a much broader spectrum, the global temperature average continues to break new records for warmth during each passing year. With such data in place to prove the warming trend, the question and debate remains as to why such conditions are occurring.
It has been proven that a city (of any size) is usually much warmer then a rural location. This phenomenon, known as the urban heat island effect, is occurring in more regions across the United States than ever before. To explain this occurrence in simple terms, the presence of solar energy is used to evaporate water from soil and vegetation in rural settings. The air temperature then fails to considerably warm. On the other side of the spectrum, cities do not have open vegetation and soil. Therefore, the energy goes directly into the roads and buildings. This produces heat by allowing the air temperature to increase rapidly during the daytime while it decreases slowly during the nighttime.
Buildings and streets are not the only contributing factors towards the urban heat island effect. Vehicles, air conditioners, factories, and people also aid the enhancement of the phenomenon. Some cities are now taking appropriate action by developing crops of trees and shrubs in various regions. It is important to note that the heat island effect has not had a significant impact on North Conway. However, the phenomenon is slowly creeping its way into the region because of the increase in people and buildings. The urban heat island effect, accompanied with El Nino, normal climate change, and global warming will certainly insure a wide range of future speculation, interest, and discovery.