2008年1~2月,我国南方地区遭受50年不遇的雨雪冰冻天气。2008年3月上旬,澳大利亚南部大部分地区经历破纪录的热浪。5月2日,20年来亚洲破坏力最强的热带气旋"纳吉斯(Nargis)"给缅甸造成有史以来最严重的灾害。2008年大西洋飓风季,"古斯塔夫(Gustav)","汉娜(Hanna)"和"艾克(Ike)"等强飓风给加勒比海地区和美国部分地区造成严重洪灾。入秋以后,我国华北、黄淮、西北东北部及四川西部、西藏等地遭遇严重干旱。2008年,全球平均气温比过去30年(1961~1990年)的平均温度高出0·31℃,全球极端天气和气候灾害并没有缓和的迹象;我国也经历了许多极端天气和气候灾害。
Severe winter weather with cold temperatures, heavy snow and sleet, the worst in 50 years, affected southern China since January 10. Most part of South Australia experienced a record-breaking heat wave during the first two weeks of March. Tropical cyclone Nargis, which made landfall along the Burmese coast on May 2, was the most devastating cyclone to strike Asia for 20 years. Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna, and Ike brought widespread floods across the Caribbean and the U.S. Severe to exceptional drought conditio...