Glaring sun iStock_000005255966Small
2010: A Year of Extremes
¥2010 tied with 2005 as the hottest year since recordkeeping began in 1880
¥19 countries set high-temperature records, most notably Pakistan, which hit 128.3 ¡F, a new record for all of Asia
¥Extreme weather events included flooding in Pakistan and Australia, the heat wave in Russia, fires in Israel, and landslides in China

The number and severity of these events are symptomatic of instability in the climate system.
Photo Credit: iStockPhoto / jansmarc