The weather of the future 未来的天气

陈小将

很多人都喜欢温暖晴朗的天气，但科学研究表明，未来的夏天可能会变得太热而让人无法忍受。如果全球温室气体排放量继续上升，气候将会改变。在一些地方，炎热的夏天和温暖的冬天可能会让堆雪人和滑雪橇成为过去。
词汇：climate 气候
As winter takes its icy grip, and we head outside into a cold and crisp morning, we might be dreaming of warmer and sunnier days that lie ahead. Although, for many, summer might give us the most clement weather, our changing climate might mean that our chilly winter season becomes a thing of the past. So maybe we should enjoy it while we can.
Last year, the World Meteorological Organization found that the Earth continued to endure a period of significant heating, making it one of the three hottest years on record. The most notable warmth was in the Siberian Arctic, where temperatures were 5°C above average. The evidence shows that much of this climate warming is driven by human activity.
With a shift in meteorological conditions, we’re likely to see more record-breaking temperatures, where, in certain places, summers will be scorching hot and winters mild. This means for some, snowy winters could become a thing of the past. In the UK, a series of projections, based on accelerating global emissions, found that the average coldest day would not drop below freezing point. Dr Lizzie Kendon, a senior Met Office scientist, told the BBC: “It could mean the end of sledging, snowmen and snowball fights… the overarching picture is warmer, wetter winters; hotter, drier summers.” She’s described this as ‘a wake-up call’.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the obvious way to slow the rate of change in our climate. Some nations are promising to do this, but already we’re experiencing less snowfall and fewer frosty mornings. And on a bigger scale, glaciers are melting. According to modelling by Aberystwyth University in the UK, up to 92% of glaciers in the Alps could be lost by the end of the century due to climate change. So, if you’re lucky enough to be looking out on a winter wonderland, get outside and make the most of it before it melts.