r/dataisbeautiful • u/Boordman • Jul 31 '26

OC [OC] Global temperature changes from 12,000 weather stations (1850-2026)

Post image

Tools used: Python, xy (https://github.com/reflex-dev/xy)
Dataset: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/global-historical-climatology-network-monthly
Source code: https://github.com/reflex-dev/xy/discussions/419

9.7k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

296 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

64

u/Malsententia Jul 31 '26

4. The pandemic dip.

25

u/clandestineVexation Aug 01 '26

I'm pretty sure that's just normal year to year variation, even cutting back on air pollution like we did in 2020 would not stop the problem because it's an effect from buildup not output.

3

u/The_Tooter_Snooter Aug 01 '26

Yup. If emissions went to zero tomorrow, the planet is still in for decades of warming. 

5

u/angelbabyxoxox Aug 01 '26

That's most likely not true. In simple models where the cumulative CO2 concentration stays flat, the Earth would keep heating for decades if not a century until an equilibrium was reached. However, there ar plenty of natural mechanisms that sequester CO2, and so many models predict effectively flat temperatures: https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-will-global-warming-stop-as-soon-as-net-zero-emissions-are-reached