Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake Cold

Report: Crippled Atlantic currents signaled ice age climate change

ocean currents
© inhabitat.com
The last ice age wasn't one long big chill. Dozens of times temperatures abruptly rose or fell, causing all manner of ecological change. Mysteriously, ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica show that these sudden shifts—which occurred every 1500 years or so—were out of sync in the two hemispheres: When it got cold in the north, it grew warm in the south, and vice versa. Now, scientists have implicated the culprit behind those seesaws—changes to a conveyor belt of ocean currents known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

These currents, which today drive the Gulf Stream, bring warm surface waters north and send cold, deeper waters south. But they weakened suddenly and drastically, nearly to the point of stopping, just before several periods of abrupt climate change, researchers report today in Science. In a matter of decades, temperatures plummeted in the north, as the currents brought less warmth in that direction. Meanwhile, the backlog of warm, southern waters allowed the Southern Hemisphere to heat up.

AMOC slowdowns have long been suspected as the cause of the climate swings during the last ice age, which lasted from 110,000 to 15,000 years ago, but never definitively shown. The new study "is the best demonstration that this indeed happened," says Jerry McManus, a paleo-oceanographer at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and a study author. "It is very convincing evidence," adds Andreas Schmittner, a climate scientist at Oregon State University, Corvallis. "We did not know that the circulation changed during these shorter intervals."

Comment: Natural variability? Climate trends? Or precursor to an ice age? The ocean circulation slowdown, coupled with longer winters than usual, may be contributors to drastic changes that could occur quickly before evidence becomes available, before interpretation becomes proven fact.


Ice Cube

Little Ice Ages deliver famine and disease

The Frozen Thames, 1677
The Frozen Thames, 1677
Retired U.S. Navy Physicist warns of what is to come.

Several centuries ago the Earth underwent a very dramatic shift in climate known as the Little Ice Age, says retired U.S. Navy Physicist James Marusek. This coincided with a period of minimal sunspot activity called the Maunder Minimum.

During the Maunder Minimum, average temperatures dropped approximately 1.5º C below current levels, says Marusek. The cold and extreme weather caused a reduction in the growing season, which lead to disastrous harvest failure.

"Hunger became the heart of this crisis," says Marusek. "Plagues, smallpox, typhus, measles and fever belong to a cluster of deadly diseases that correlate closely with harvest yields."

Igloo

Ultra-warmist German solar physicists now warning of a 'mini-ice age'

The daily Berliner Kurier here writes today that solar physicists at the ultra-warmist Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) are warning that Europe may be facing "a mini ice age" due to a possible protracted solar minimum.
Solar Activity
© D. Hathaway/NASA/MSFCSolar activity has been much lower than predicted earlier.
The Berliner Kurier writes:
That's the conclusion that solar physicists of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research reached when looking at solar activity."
For an institute that over the past 20 years has steadfastly insisted that man has been almost the sole factor in climate change over the past century and that the sun no longer plays a role, this is quite remarkable.

The Berliner Kurier reports that the PIK scientists foresee a weakening of the sun's activity over the coming years.
"That means that conversely it is going to get colder. The scientists are speaking of a little ice age."
According to the PIK scientists, the reduced solar activity will, however, not be able to stop the global warming and only brake the warming up to 2100 by 0.3°C.

Snowflake Cold

Brazil shivers as cold engulfs South America

Freeze
In the first and second week of June 2016, S.E Brazil with 38 cites below 0C, and hundreds of cold temperature records broken. Frost, snow and freezing lakes damage some crops that are ready to harvest.


Fire

Record-breaking heat wave takes four lives as it scorches Southwest U.S.

wildfire yarnell AZ evacuations
© Gene Blevins / Reuters
At least four people have died in a record-setting heat wave that has engulfed the southwestern United States. The deaths occurred in Arizona, where the temperature hit 120 degrees in some places. More than 30 million people are currently under heat warnings or advisories.

The Red Cross defines a heat wave as "a prolonged period of excessive heat, generally 10 degrees or more above average, often combined with excessive humidity." In Phoenix the thermometer climbed to 118 degrees, nearly hitting the city's all-time record of 122 degrees—so hot a Mesa Airlines flight to the city on Sunday was routed back to Texas.

"There'll be a bunch of records broken again today," said CNN meteorologist Chad Myers. "It's not even cooling down at night—that's another part of the problem." The record temperatures are making it the hottest-ever start to summer in Arizona, New Mexico and California, said CNN meteorologist Pedram Javaheri.


Comment: Further reading: Deadly 'heat dome' scorching the Southwestern United States


Sun

Deadly 'heat dome' scorching the Southwestern United States

heat dome
© Gene Blevins / Reuters Temperatures are expected to increase today before cooling down later in the week
The first day of Summer isn't even over and already The Southwestern United States is sweltering with temperatures hovering at 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 Celsius), earning itself the hottest new weather term - the 'heat dome.'

Pushing warm air towards the surface, the dome is causing record-breaking temperatures in one of the hottest places in the world.

Facing 'excessive heat' warnings, Southern California saw temperatures rise to 111F (44C) on Sunday, smashing previous highs and causing power outages in Orange County.

Comment: SOTT Earth Changes Summary - May 2016: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs


Fire

Extreme heat to challenge all-time records across southwestern U.S.

An extreme heat wave will grip the southwestern United States through early week.

A strong ridge of high pressure will take control and strengthen into this week, sending temperatures to dangerous levels.
Heat wave map
"When a ridge of high pressure like this one forms in the middle to late June, it can deliver some of the hottest weather possible to the Desert Southwest," AccuWeather Western U.S. Expert Ken Clark said.

Temperatures will run between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit above average through the early part of the week.

"The peak of the heat in many areas will be on Monday, but Tuesday will be no slouch either in the high heat department," Clark said.

With multiple fires raging across the region, the heat will pose problems for firefighters.

Comment: Heat records have already been broken in California and Arizona.

See also: SOTT Earth Changes Summary - May 2016: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs


Ice Cube

Extreme cold freezes waterfall in Brazil

Frozen waterfall in Brazil
© Marilia Oliveira/Prefeitura de Upurema
Temperatures are already below zero in 42 Brazilians cities - and it will get colder in the next few days

Winter is coming. For real.

Brazil has already seen snow in 2016. In the state of Santa Catarina thermal sensation dropped to -22°C (-7.6°F). It was enough to freeze a cascade in the city of Morro das Torres. As you might imagine, this kind of event is not so frequent in Brazil - and it became an instant touristic attraction.

Weather forecasts say that temperatures will continue next to zero in the next few days. In 42 cities in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina (in the extreme South of the country), temperatures will remain below zero.


Snowflake

June snowfall for Mauna Kea in Hawaii

 Mauna Kea
An unusual combination of conditions brought snow to the peaks of Mauna Kea on Hawaii's big island, forecasters said.

Hawaii's tropical weather doesn't extend to the state's highest peak, but late Monday, a cold pool of air made temperatures drop below freezing. About the same time, thunderstorms moved over the island, high enough to bring Mauna Kea a dusting of snow.

The unusual event -- it does occasionally happen in winter -- provided some unique pictures of the mountain's observatory for June.

Forecasters said the wetter than usual trade winds will continue through Wednesday with rain expected.


Snowflake

Snow in June for Mount Hood in Oregon

Photos from the National Weather Service (left) and Timberline Lodge (right)
Photos from the National Weather Service (left) and Timberline Lodge (right)
Mount Hood saw some late spring snowfall Tuesday, which is a very rare occurrence for the mountain.

KATU Meteorologist Rhonda Shelby said we can expect at least two inches of snow at around 4,500 feet.

"A cold, winterlike upper-level air mass over the region will create snow in the Cascades. Maybe up to 6 inches in the Cascades back country by the end of the night," Shelby said.

The snowfall isn't likely to cause problems for the major roadways.

The cold air on Tuesday could cause hailstorms in the Portland-metro area. Showers and thunderstorms are still likely in the evening hours, Shelby said.