Washington, DC— The average temperature in West Virginia was 1.2°F above normal in 2006, a new report released today by United States Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) shows. U.S. PIRG said this warmer-than-normal weather is indicative of what West Virginia can expect with continued global warming.
“Throw out the record books, because global warming is raising temperatures in West Virginia and across the country,” says U.S. PIRG spokesperson Sarah Duncan.  “The long-term forecast is for more of the same unless we quickly and significantly reduce global warming pollution from power plants and passenger vehicles,” continues Duncan.
According to the National Climatic Data Center, the 2006 summer and 2006 overall were the second warmest on record for the lower 48 states.  2007 is on track to be the second warmest year on record globally.
To examine recent temperature patterns in the United States, U.S. PIRG compared temperature data for the years 2000-2006 from 255 weather stations located in all 50 states and Washington, DC with temperatures averaged over the 30 years spanning 1971-2000, or what scientists call the “normal” temperature.
Key findings for West Virginia include:
• In 2006, the average temperature was 0.8°F above normal in Beckley.  Nationally, the average 2006 temperature was at least 0.5°F above normal at 87% of the locations studied.
• Over the course of 2006, Huntington experienced 32 days where the temperature hit at least 90°F, 11 days more than the historical average.  Heat waves have serious implications for human health, causing heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and even death.
• Elkins experienced average minimum temperatures—the lowest temperatures recorded on a given day, usually at night—of 1.8°F above normal in 2006 and 1.2°F above normal during the 2006 summer. 
• Charleston also experienced unusually high average minimum temperatures; the average minimum temperatures were 2.4°F above normal in 2006 and 2.7°F above normal during the 2006 summer.  Warmer nighttime temperatures exacerbate the public health effects of heat waves, since people need cooler nighttime temperatures to recover from excessive heat exposure during the day.
In April 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that North America could experience significant water stress, forest fires, and “an increased number, intensity, and duration of heat waves” as temperatures continue to rise.
“The implications of global warming are horrendous.  The impact on the ecosystem is disturbing in terms of the potential damage that may be done by disease to plants, animals, and humans.  Also, the melting of the glaciers and the additional fresh water that will be drained into the oceans have the potential to slow down or to stop the natural circulations of the oceans that bring warm currents to the north, potentially resulting in a miniature ice age for Europe,” warns Dr. Randall Wiesenmayer, professor of science education at West Virginia University.
West Virginians are feeling the heat and are concerned about the effect of global warming on their state. 
 “In the 50’s the saying was, ‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.’  But, now in 2007, the kitchen is the earth and how do you get out of that?  West Virginians are losing our mountains, our spirit, our hopes, and our economy to coal.  The world is losing its ecological balance.  Fluctuations in temperature due to global warming are already affecting my herbs.  Lavender, which has grown beautifully here for five years, broke dormancy in January when the weather became spring-like; many then died when a freezing February and March ensued,” laments Myra Bonhage-Hale, steward of La Paix Herb Farm and member of the Planning Committee for the West Virginia Sustainable Fair.
The faith community is also speaking out against global warming.
“West Virginia is part of the problem and we have the potential to be part of the solution.  The faith community needs to step up and promote alternate forms of energy.  For us, it is a moral justice issue.  It is about justice for all people on the one hand because everyone needs jobs, and about the absolute need to find a different way to provide them.  The Gospel is very much about immediacy, and we need an immediate response to global warming,” states Reverend Dennis Sparks, Executive Director of the West Virginia Council of Churches.
 Global warming poses a serious danger to West Virginia’s wildlife, and people are standing up for the voiceless against this great danger.
 “One of the most troublesome problems for climatologists is that it is hard to predict what the effects will be on a given area. Even though the studies indicate that the degree change in most of West Virginia is not extreme, we have to be concerned about how global warming will impact our coldwater fisheries. We could loss our entire trout population over time,” states Thomas Ditty, Ed.D., President of the West Virginia Wildlife Federation.
“With the warming trend, it is highly possible that we could lose the trout population in 60% of our streams. We’re working to protect the most sensitive areas and to restore streams that have been degraded and to protect them from warming effects,” elaborates Bryan Moore, Director for Eastern Project Development with Trout Unlimited.
“Scientists are sounding alarm bells about the impacts of continued global warming,” stated Duncan.  “The good news is that those same scientists say we can avoid the worst effects of global warming by taking bold action now to reduce global warming pollution,” continued Duncan.