Forget Global Warming but how about "Global Wetting?"
Hawk
"If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Lyndon B. Johnson
local environmentalist and author Bill McKibben wrote an interesting article about this very subject in the Washington Post.
He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.
haven't read hobbitling's article suggestion yet, but i remember seeing on tv once, a few years ago, that global warming could actually be a good thing... warmer temps would cause more water to evaporate off the oceans, increasing rainfall, and moderating the drought issue in some parts of the world...
the effects will vary by location. Some areas will be wetter, some drier. We've got the agricultural system of the planet set up for past conditions. If conditions change, expect mass migrations as people follow the shifting climate and abandon formerly farmable land to find greener pastures.
also, for areas of the world that depend on meltwater from alpine glaciers, there will be a few decades of increased flow and high yields, until the glaciers disappear, then the rivers will dry up they'll be screwed. that pretty much describes most of southern Asia and South America.
He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.
I think that "global warming" is a misleading and too limited term which strikes a lot of people as a poor description to what they actually see, especially in winters which may be more severe in terms of snowfall than what they're used to. "Climate Change" is more appropriate. Anyone who refutes the change theory is delusional--the extremes are incredible in the past few weeks. The severity and frequency of tornadoes, all over the place, should be real challenges to the dyed-in-the-wool skeptics. The climate patterns on this planet have undergone dramatic changes for more years than people can count.
"Days in the woods are days beyond time"--Paul Jamieson
Some people have been using the phrase "Global Wierding" to describe the generally unusual weather patterns we've been seeing.
He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.
I would have to think that the tornado outbreaks were caused by a clash of two different types of air mass.Happens quite often in the spring.Warm air will hold more water vapor but it takes cold air to wring it out of the atmosphere.An old fashioned winter also led to an above average snowmelt leading to the flooding.Seems like weather to me.
the effects will vary by location. Some areas will be wetter, some drier. We've got the agricultural system of the planet set up for past conditions. If conditions change, expect mass migrations as people follow the shifting climate and abandon formerly farmable land to find greener pastures.
also, for areas of the world that depend on meltwater from alpine glaciers, there will be a few decades of increased flow and high yields, until the glaciers disappear, then the rivers will dry up they'll be screwed. that pretty much describes most of southern Asia and South America.
Times have changed quite a bit over the last few hundred years. My last run through the supermarket produced very few local goods. Maybe some jam.
To the other comments, China and the EU are in a bad drought right now. The world isn't just the United States.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they never shall sit in
I would have to think that the tornado outbreaks were caused by a clash of two different types of air mass.Happens quite often in the spring.Warm air will hold more water vapor but it takes cold air to wring it out of the atmosphere.An old fashioned winter also led to an above average snowmelt leading to the flooding.Seems like weather to me.
The Meteorologists and the Climatologists disagree. The "weather" patterns the last two years are unprecedented.
But, what do they know.
Hawk
"If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Lyndon B. Johnson
I'm in touch with a few farmers who watch the weather almost as much as the outdoors recreational folks (understatement). This has been the wettest NE USA since 1948. However the SW has been extremely dry. I'm sure the record snowfall in the Rockies had a lot to do with that. Somethinig about the artic oscillation, el nino and jet stream effects.
Regardless I would not use the term unprecedented to describe current weather conditions.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they never shall sit in
I think that "global warming" is a misleading and too limited term which strikes a lot of people as a poor description to what they actually see, especially in winters which may be more severe in terms of snowfall than what they're used to. "Climate Change" is more appropriate. Anyone who refutes the change theory is delusional--the extremes are incredible in the past few weeks. The severity and frequency of tornadoes, all over the place, should be real challenges to the dyed-in-the-wool skeptics. The climate patterns on this planet have undergone dramatic changes for more years than people can count.
Don't forget about the ever powerful CNN effect.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they never shall sit in
I'm in touch with a few farmers who watch the weather almost as much as the outdoors recreational folks (understatement). This has been the wettest NE USA since 1948. However the SW has been extremely dry. I'm sure the record snowfall in the Rockies had a lot to do with that. Somethinig about the artic oscillation, el nino and jet stream effects.
Regardless I would not use the term unprecedented to describe current weather conditions.
Unprecedented is not my term, but one that has been used recently by some scientists.
But what do they know.
"If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Lyndon B. Johnson
I've heard the term "Global weirding" used before.
He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams.
Comment