We’ve always had weather, what’s the big deal?
“The question is not whether sea ice loss is affecting the large-scale atmospheric circulation…. It’s how can it not?” That was the take-home message from Dr. Jennifer Francis of Rutgers University, in her talk “Does Arctic Amplification Fuel Extreme Weather in Mid-Latitudes?”, presented at last week’s American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.
Dr. Francis presented new research in review for publication, which shows that Arctic sea ice loss may significantly affect the upper-level atmospheric circulation, slowing its winds and increasing its tendency to make contorted high-amplitude loops. High-amplitude loops in the upper level wind pattern (and associated jet stream) increases the probability of persistent weather patterns in the Northern Hemisphere, potentially leading to extreme weather due to longer-duration cold spells, snow events, heat waves, flooding events, and drought conditions.
Big deal! It’s cold, turn up the friggin’ heat! Okay, so it might cost a little more… and you might be out of work… and we might be running out of oil anyway… but I’m sure someone, somewhere will figure something out!
North Atlantic Oscillation.
Read all about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Atlantic_oscillation
Lake Superior is almost entirely open, leaving surface area for evaporation. So, the lake levels go down even more, and somebody’s going to get hit with bigger snowstorms.
We don’t even have to talk about the loss of income from winter events being cancelled due to lack of snow.
It’s been warm, so bugs and diseases aren’t being killed off in the ground. Next summer’s going to be a doozy.
And like I said before, might be time to kiss maple syrup goodbye.
They lost me at The. Here in central Alabama, I worry about the peaches. It seems unseasonably warm but, then again, awhile back we had a snow storm in April.
What am I saying? I don’t know.
freakin’ pansies blooming right now in philly. daffodils shoots 6″ tall. two weeks ago a flower that blooms in july put out some new blooms here too.