A record heat wave struck the DC region in June '08 sending temperatures into the high 90's, exceptionally high for that time of year.
The above average June '08 heat wave helped to push the region’s average temperature for the year above historical levels. StaffPhoto imported to Merlin on Mon Jul 18 17:26:08 2005
Over 170,000 DC-area residents lost their power during a set of severe thunderstorms in late spring '08.
Heavy spring downpours felled many trees and flooded many creeks across the region including Rock Creek, which runs though the District, seen here.
Flora's Oak was between 300 and 400 years old and was the largest oak tree in Maryland when an unusually severe wind storm - the second of the spring - toppled it to the ground in June ’08.
2008 shattered the 10-year national average for number of tornados. Virginia was hit especially hard. This home was destroyed in Stafford County, VA in May '08.
During the same series of tornados that hit Stafford County, one house lost its entire second story. Neighbors likened it to watching Dorothy's house being lifted, spinning, into the sky in the Wizard of Oz.
According to Gov. Kaine's Commission on Climate Change in August, the Hampton Roads area – home to the world’s largest naval station – is second only to South Louisiana in its vulnerability to sea level rise and stronger hurricanes resulting from global warming.
High winds tore off the 'U' from the USA Today building in Tysons Corner on New Year's Eve.
Weather is getting stranger and more extreme everywhere you look. We know that global warming is real and we know that it will change weather patterns in unpredictable ways. We also know what we need to do to stabilize the climate.
Bluewater Wind LLC announced in June it would begin construction on American's first offshore wind farm off the coast of Delaware in 2009. A similar wind farm is being considered for coastal Maryland.
A new 'concentrated solar plant' announced in June '08 to be built in Arizona has been named Solana, meaning “a sunny place” in Spanish. It will have a total capacity of 280 megawatts, enough to power 70,000 homes.
The majority of our energy comes from dirty fossil fuels dug up from the depths of the ground. Isn't it time we switched to something a bit more sophisticated?
As for the vehicles we use, if we're going to continue to power our cars with oil there's no reason why we shouldn't use half as much with hybrid technology.
On Dec. 8th, dozens of hybrid car owners paraded in front of the U.S.Capitol Building calling on Congress to push Detroit toward greatly increasing the fuel efficiency of its cars.
