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Title: Greenland ice melt set record in 2010; Canadian arctic unusually warm
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URL Source: http://www.tbd.com/blogs/weather/20 ... rctic-unusually-warm-7616.html
Published: Jan 24, 2011
Author: TBD
Post Date: 2011-01-24 16:58:18 by go65
Keywords: None
Views: 3809
Comments: 18
Cold enough for you? It certainly is for some folks, who are using the frigid air and East Coast snowstorms to fire spitballs at global-warming believers. It’s true that the D.C. region has been locked into an unusually cold pattern, with temperatures in December about 5 degrees below average. But as mentioned before on this blog, that doesn’t mean everyone in the world is shivering. Here’s some more recent data on how D.C. is faring in comparison to other climates. The above map, courtesy of NOAA, depicts anomalies in mean surface temperatures from Dec. 17 to Jan. 15. The blue splotch near D.C. represents our below-average cold snap. The orange and red patches over the higher latitudes indicate areas where temperatures have been unusually high. (Green is 3 to 9 degrees above average; yellow 9 to 15 degrees; orange/red 15 to 21 degrees. Light blue is 3 to 6 degrees below average.) Greenland saw an unusually warm December, with temperatures at 15 to 20 degrees above average. The warmth helped set a new record in 2010 for the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, according to Marco Tedesco, a scientist with the City College of New York. Tedesco is studying the dissolving sheet because it is expected to greatly contribute to rising sea levels in the coming years, perhaps by as much as 3 feet by 2100. He reports that some places in Greenland had a melting season of 50 days beyond what was expected in 2010. An area the size of France was subject to melting last year that would’ve stayed frozen in 1979, he says. Here is Tedesco’s chart depicting how the weather is causing above-average anomalies in the country’s ice melt: The Canadian arctic was also oddly mild during this month-long period, with temperatures 37.8 degrees above average. Why was that? Bob Henson of the government-affiliated University Corporation for Atmospheric Research offers a couple explanations. One, vast areas of water in the Canadian seas refused to freeze this year. With no ice sheet, the water keeps on pumping warmth into the atmosphere. “The Meteorological Service of Canada was still writing marine forecasts as of 7 January, well beyond anything we have ever done,” said David Phillips, a climatologist with the government’s Environment Canada. Two, the massive storm systems we’ve seen over the past few weeks helped carry warm Atlantic air into Canada. So our local weather may share some of the blame for hungry hunters who are unable to cross ice sheets to get to their prey, as well as a general lack of fun. According to the New York Times: Iqaluit, the capital of the remote Canadian territory of Nunavut, had to cancel its New Year’s snowmobile parade. David Ell, the deputy mayor, said that people in the region had been looking with envy at snowbound American and European cities. “People are saying, ‘That’s where all our snow is going!’ ” he said. Feel free to insert your respective climate-change-is-real / global-warming-is-a-myth opinions on why these temperature abnormalities are happening. Just don't say that a particularly chilly winter in D.C. means things are cold all over.
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#1. To: All (#0)
Anomaly map for the northern hemisphere
I have seem some on the right wing denial camp now concede there is global climate change but they don't blame it on man made causes - its happening naturally. Before they were claiming there was no climate change at all. Progress?
Just for clarity, since I haven't posted here in quite awhile... Are you guys the perfect stereotypes of the leftist? I mean, are there any issues the left espouses that you have not bought into?
I am an ex Conservative Republican so I know your positions well because I was once like you or associated with you types. I am an independent rationalist now. What I said was accurate in that "I have seem some on the right wing denial camp now concede there is global climate change but they don't blame it on man made causes - global warming is happening naturally as part of a warming cycle. Before they were claiming there was no climate change at all."
LOL I am a life long Republican and Bush voter but... You dumbasses are so transparent.
You dumbasses are so transparent. Anyone who is proud of voting for Bush is a dumbass.
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#2. To: go65 (#1)
(Edited)
#5. To: Godwinson, go65 (#2)
#6. To: We The People, go65 (#5)
Are you guys the perfect stereotypes of the leftist?
#8. To: Godwinson (#6)
I am an ex Conservative Republican
#10. To: no gnu taxes (#8)
I am a life long Republican and Bush voter but...
Replies to Comment # 10.
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