global warming/human-induced climate change for any one event. Decoupling random variations, typical annual variations due to things like El Nino, and any contribution from human CO2 emissions is next to impossible. I was initially skeptical as well but the fact that records continue to be set year after year is at the very least alarming. This is not a trend that is confined to just the US (a la the Dustbowl years), which makes me think that human actions around the world could be playing a role. We can always say that there needs to be more evidence and wait a little longer, but I'm convinced enough at this point that I would be willing to bear the economic consequences of a carbon tax in order to make alternative and nuclear energy sources more economically viable. I'm saying that as a free-market, fiscal conservative who is also a scientist (not climate related) for what that's worth.