Global Climate Change

 

Medieval Global Temperature Optimum:

The Medieval Global Temperature Optimum was a time period that lasted from 950 AD to 1250 AD. The area that it covered was that mainly of the North Atlantic region, but it could have been related to other climate changes in California and China. Although these were the warmest temperatures prior to the 20th century, they were cooler averages than the recent global temperatures of the 20th century. This era gave birth to the Little Ice Age which followed the next hundreds of years.

 

 

Little Ice Age:

The Little Ice Age occurred during the time period of 1300-1870 which North America and Europe were subject to much cooler temperatures than that of the 20th Century. The average temperature was one degree Celsius cooler which caused a domino effect of bodies of water in Europe freezing over and shortening the growing season by several weeks. Iceland was one of the hardest hit areas. Crops were almost impossible to grow including wheat and even hay crops. Sea Ice also became a big challenge, which extended a lot farther south than it had in the previous years. The deadly combination caused Iceland to loose half of its population.