I've been hearing this nonsense about how "global warming" is causing this abnormally warm winter we're having all across the Eastern US right now. So, I'm about to drop some basic climatology on the the unsuspecting. Don't blame me if your political biases get in the way of understanding what I'm about to lay down. Google is your friend. From this point forward, I will not be accommodating the closely held religious beliefs of The Church of Sanders, who believe climate change is linked to global terrorism.
So, let's just put it like this. Two events are playing critical roles (one lesser, the other greater) in the record winter warmth in the Eastern United States right now. None of which have to do with "climate change."
The lesser factor is the monster El Nino event happening currently, the greater factor is what's known as the AO, or the Arctic Oscillation. Namely the AO at the North Pole. The Arctic Oscillation determines basically how far south the polar air from the North Pole will go in the Northern Hemisphere. To see what an AO looks like, see below:
Now, there's a positive AO phase (or low pressure that circulates counter-clockwise at the North Pole, which as it does so, pulls in and contains most of the Arctic air near and around the pole), and a negative AO phase (where there is high pressure that circulates clockwise at the North Pole, which as it does so, tends to push out and evacuate the cold polar air further south). In short, the AO is what we call a "polar vortex."
Simply put, an abnormally positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation is pulling more cold air northward towards the pole, which does not allow any cold air to amass in the east US and travel south. This is only amplified by the El Nino effect shunting the polar jet stream far to the north, hence no cold air in the eastern portion of the US. These two events are synergizing with one another to intensify the warmth we're feeling now.
Keep in mind that the abnormally intense winter in January 2014 was due to a very strong negative AO phase which pushed the polar vortex even further south than normal and nuked most of the US with snow and abnormally cold temperatures.
I've taken a crash course in Climatology a la Google for the past two and a half hours, and I can't help but chuckle at all the people blaming this on "climate change" or "global warming" when in fact all it is is the simple machinations of weather patterns.
Global Warming Isn’t Really to Blame for This Crazy Warm Weather. So Enjoy It!
Climate Change Plays 'Fairly Insignificant' Role In Current Warm Weather
Global warming? I think not. Merry Christmas!
So, let's just put it like this. Two events are playing critical roles (one lesser, the other greater) in the record winter warmth in the Eastern United States right now. None of which have to do with "climate change."
The lesser factor is the monster El Nino event happening currently, the greater factor is what's known as the AO, or the Arctic Oscillation. Namely the AO at the North Pole. The Arctic Oscillation determines basically how far south the polar air from the North Pole will go in the Northern Hemisphere. To see what an AO looks like, see below:
Now, there's a positive AO phase (or low pressure that circulates counter-clockwise at the North Pole, which as it does so, pulls in and contains most of the Arctic air near and around the pole), and a negative AO phase (where there is high pressure that circulates clockwise at the North Pole, which as it does so, tends to push out and evacuate the cold polar air further south). In short, the AO is what we call a "polar vortex."
Simply put, an abnormally positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation is pulling more cold air northward towards the pole, which does not allow any cold air to amass in the east US and travel south. This is only amplified by the El Nino effect shunting the polar jet stream far to the north, hence no cold air in the eastern portion of the US. These two events are synergizing with one another to intensify the warmth we're feeling now.
Keep in mind that the abnormally intense winter in January 2014 was due to a very strong negative AO phase which pushed the polar vortex even further south than normal and nuked most of the US with snow and abnormally cold temperatures.
I've taken a crash course in Climatology a la Google for the past two and a half hours, and I can't help but chuckle at all the people blaming this on "climate change" or "global warming" when in fact all it is is the simple machinations of weather patterns.
Global Warming Isn’t Really to Blame for This Crazy Warm Weather. So Enjoy It!
Climate Change Plays 'Fairly Insignificant' Role In Current Warm Weather
Global warming? I think not. Merry Christmas!
