[NatureNS] Cold Europe

Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:47:10 +0000
From: Sydney Penner <sfp@sydneypenner.ca>
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Hi,

I've also heard about the gulf stream theory that Richard Stern cited, 
but my sense is that's more meant to be an explanation of longer term 
trends. I think explanations for the current low temperatures have 
focused more on the role of the jet stream. It has shifted position such 
that there is an airflow from the Arctic to the UK. This isn't the first 
time that's happened -- this BBC article provides an interesting chart 
to put the current weather into perspective: 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12042733

Sydney





On 12/21/2010 11:42 PM, Richard Stern wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have not seen any informed commentary, but for what it's worth, it
> seems to me that even if that's a contributory factor, this is the 3rd
> winter that N.Europe has had abnormally low temperatures and increased
> snowfall, but in the previous 2 there was no volcanic plume. I did read
> a theory that s a result of global warming, more arctic ice is melting,
> resulting in an influx of fresh water into the North Atlantic’s surface,
> which could create a lid of more buoyant fresh water, lying atop denser,
> saltier water. This fresh water would effectively cap and insulate the
> surface of the North Atlantic, curtailing the ocean’s transfer of heat
> to the atmosphere. The gulf stream would sink, resulting paradoxically
> in loss of its normal warming effect on N.Europe.  Perhaps that's what
> we are now seeing. (details at
> http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?cid=9986&pid=12455&tid=282
> <http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?cid=9986&pid=12455&tid=282>).
>
>
> Richard
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 7:03 PM, David & Alison Webster
> <dwebster@glinx.com <mailto:dwebster@glinx.com>> wrote:
>
>     Dear All,                Dec 21, 2010
>        Happy Winter Solstice.
>
>        I notice that NE Europe has had unusually cold weather this fall
>     and wonder if this may be related to reduced insolation this summer
>     due to the plume from the volcano in Iceland.
>
>        Has anyone seen informed commentary to this effect ?
>     Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
>
>
>
>
> --
> #################
> Dr.R.B.Stern,
> P.O. Box 300,
> Port Williams,
> N.S., Canada,
> B0P 1T0
>
> Richard Stern,
> 317 Middle Dyke Rd.
> Port Williams, NS, Canada
> B0P 1T0
>
> sternrichard@gmail.com <mailto:sternrichard@gmail.com>
> ###################

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