What's Your Weather

[Chappy]

Hey Y'all!

I know all this stuff on Global Warming is overwhelming to some, but I totally believe thet we've screwed things up past the point of No Return!

When I was still doing refrigeration work before I became a firefighter, I learned that every molecule of freon destroys 100,000 molecules of ozone, and that all the freon released into the atmosphere from the late 60's to the 90's, is just now reaching the ozone layer. It takes 15 plus years for this stuff to get up there, I had no idea it took that long but thats what the experts tell us.

That means that the REAL damage is yet to come as millions of tons of freon were casually released into the air during this period, before we realized the potential for a problem. Add to this all the fossil fuel residuals and other pollutants, and we're going to be sorry for all this soon.

Anyway, the real reason I'm asking this is I want to know what you all see in your area's weather patterns lately. Have they been dry?..wet?..whacky?

Here in Saskatchewan/Canada, I've seen weather patterns that I haven't seen in my lifetime, and asking my Mom and others her age, they haven't seen it like this either. For the first time in memory....it is RAINING in January.....in SASKATCHEWAN!!! We almost had a "brown" Christmas this year too, that would be only the third in my lifetime, but the overall weather has been totally out of character for this place. Normally for this time of year we can expect temps to be around -10 to -30 Celsius on a steady basis, but we're having the longest winter warm spell I have ever known of. It's not only our winter weather either, we've experienced seasonal weather patterns far from normal for many years now. It's no longer a "fluke" anymore, it has become the norm for all this odd weather to happen.

Now...I'm not complaining about this nice weather, but it does worry me about the state of our atmosphere and of course the planet's future. I've done some research on the long term affects this global warming will bring, and it scares the SH*T outta me...as it should you too!

And it may come sooner than you think...recent reserch has shown that planetary temp shifts occur over a period of just a few years, not a few hundred as previously believed. That means that a Global ice age could take place well within our lifetime, and may have already been started some scientists believe.

The wildest weather in recorded history, massive breakups of polar ice caps never before seen, glaciers not only shrinking but disappearing completely, and oceanographic temperature changes that are occuring, had better wake us up soon because we could be in for a very bleak future!!

Is this a normal shift in the planet's cycle or is this man-made..? We don't know for sure yet, but we're only adding to the potential problem and increasing the odds that an ice age may occur this century. They now know that it only takes a few years for it to happen, but they last for thousands of years....WAKE UP PEOPLE IN CHARGE!!! Take steps to decrease pollutions and our dependence on fossil fuels before it's too late!

So...whats your weather been like lately??

[JSKY]

You know........

Just the other week on the Discovery Science Channel. They had an hour long show about a gentlemen who was on a par with Nostradamus. He died in the early to mid 1900. (Can't remember his name for the life of me).

But he was really acclaimed at predicting things. One of the last things he predicted, was that in the NEAR future. The earth was going to tilt on it axises. And would cause world wide destruction because of it. (I guess it would ).

He said we would know when it was close because of the strange weather world wide. That the weather would seem to go crazy.

Well, we know the earth wobbles on it's axises, and how the moon plays a big part in this.

He said it would be a fast thing, Not taking years or decades. But all at once. within days.

Watching the Science Channel on different subjects (not releated). Seems it could actually happen.

I always wondered what it would be like to live in the tropics. Maybe i'll find out faster then I expect.

[Bubba Bob]

IMO their is not enough info or research to prove anything man has done is causing global warming. Yes, the Earth is warming, however we are still NOT up to pre "mini" ice age levels. It was hotter in the middle ages than it is now.

Although, that is interesting info on the freon. 15 years is amazing.

The weather has been odd this year. The summer was the usual (upper 90s, low 100s), but the fall was no different from our summer. (which was odd) Our temps went from upper 80s to below freezing in 2 days. It stayed below freezing 2 days after that. Since then it's been the usual up and down with the coming and goin of cold fronts.

Oh! RAIN! Dammit! We need rain. Im sure yall have seen on the news all the brush fires in Texas and Oklahoma.

Edited January 13, 2006 by Bubba Bob

[hitest]

You know what Chappy? I'm also disturbed by the weather. In my neck of the woods ( Northern B.C., Canada) we usually have snow by this time of the year. I've put my snowies on my malibu and no snow has fallen. I'm not complaining, mind you. I hate shoveling my drive way. But, it is still weird. Things are changing. I don't like what I see.

[DarkestDream]

Southern Caliornia's weather changed a lot. i cant get a pattern out of it. it stay random. today is hot, yesterday is FREAKING COLD! sometime i have rain 5 days in a row which that is unusual. sometime one night got foggy at 5:00PM, that was fast, then next night, it foggy at 1:00AM. something really getting weird.

WHOAA!!! The Core movie flashback! i hope that wont happen in this world

[blim]

This is really interesting! Now, in Michigan, being surrounded by the "puddles", our weather has ALWAYS been unpredictable. I've seen 60 degrees in December (Christmas, 1984), thundersnow (yes, it exists), wearing winter coats to watch fireworks on July 4th, 5 week summers, one day Autumns (2005!), you name it.

I've never given any big changes in weather patterns a thought till I read this thread. Keep posting your observations, as us West Michigan folks are no help!

You Canadians haven't had snow yet???? Unbelievable!

Liz

Edited January 13, 2006 by blim

[bearskin]

southeast oklahoma...was 75 today..had a hail storm about an hour ago...pretty strange for the middle of january. tomorrow is friday 13 and a full moon.

[medab1]

Shenandoah Valley,Va.--

It used to get below 0 F. a lot here in winter.

It used to snow & the snow would stay on the ground all winter mostly.

Not any more.

It is in the upper 50's in the day now.

Calls for 60 Friday with rain Friday NIGHT.

Summers are HOT.

Around a 100 lots of days.

Winter is like Autum used to be.

Spring & Fall seem like old summers lately.

Summer feels like the waiting room in Hell.

Note- I think Edgar Cayce is the guy that said the Earth would tilt.

Most ancient predictions say around 2012 to around 2020 or so things will totally fall apart.

Just about the time I'll draw my first Social Security check...

Oh well.

[bozodog]

Well, it was 55F here yesterday. Yep Janurary in SW Michigan.

Forcast:

Friday: Showers this morning, becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. High 49F. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.

Friday night: Rain and snow showers this evening. A snow shower or two overnight - otherwise, mostly cloudy. Low around 30F. Chance of precip 90%.

Liz is correct, that Christmas, down here it was 69F. Also had a summer of 12 out of 14 weekends of rain.

I'm not buying the "Global Warming" thing. It's cycles folks. And man and his measuring devices haven't been around long enough to catch a pattern.

[TheTerrorist_75]

Just normal in NY. Some winters we get a January thaw like this year. We had over 5 feet of snow dumped on us during December but that is all gone due to a few days of 50 degree weather with rain the first week of January and now the past 3 days this week. We are expecting a high of 57 today with heavy rains tonight. Sunday's high is expected to be 21 degrees with lake effect snows. Later next week the temps are expected to climb into the 40s. Normal temerature is 31 degrees in January. Usually February brings us the coldest days with heavy snowfall. I'll let you know in June if winter is over.

[jsbowen]

Been a warm January here in WV. Our weatherman says we are right at the average temperature for the season due to an unusually cold November and December.

[JDoors]

First wanna correct the info on the ozone layer: While the loss of the ozone layer could have catastrophic effects, it is not part of the 'global warming' picture. The ozone layer absorbs the sun's Ultraviolet (UV) radiation as it rains downward on the Earth. If it thins or disappears there will be more UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. That can cause more skin cancers and sunburns with minimal exposure.

Global warming is said to be the result of Infrared (IR) radiation becoming trapped by Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The Earth heats up from the Sun (and civilization creates heat) which radiates via IR radiation upward into space. CO2 absorbs the IR radiation and traps it in the atmosphere causing the atomospere to heat up. The more CO2 the more IR get trapped and the warmer the atmosphere is said to become.

That effect itself is not universally agreed upon and the ones who agree the effect is real do not universally agree upon the amount of effect it can or will have.

It was not that long ago that many of the same scientists were reading their tea leaves and predicting dire consequences because a mini-ice age was imminent. All their evidence pointed to this as a sure thing, just as now all their evidence points to the exact opposite.

With the media screaming "we're all gonna die" every warm day or melting glacier is proclaimed "proof" of global warming, while increases in glacial ice in some parts of the world and record cold snaps are ... also proclaimed as proof of global warming.

To add to the skepticizm, the Earth goes through these cycles naturally. A change in ocean currents can easily account for any observed warming and can't be adequately explained by additional CO2 in the atomosphere. More dust and gases in the atmosphere from volcanic activity could account for some of the observed effect. Stripping forests would have the same effect, and we're doing a pretty good job of that around the world.

So how much is us and how much is natural and what, if anything, we can do that'll make a difference is still debateable (though the Chicken Little's of the world have already made up their minds -- I'm not dismissing the possibility, but the evidence against should not be ignored either).

On to the weather here! One month straight of above average temperatures. Thank you global warming!

[Sir_Siddy]

Well im up here near chicago and we are getting temps in the 50's in JANUARY. Last month when it should of been slightly warmer we were getting temps below zero. Something wacko bout that. Its like the two months switched places.

[Naming is hard]

Not hotter or colder then normal over here ^^ course global warming is a problem, just nothing we can do. but its cool, cuz maybe we'll branch out into space teraforming planets so we can live on them.

[marko_tomas13]

Chappy, same thing is happening here in Toronto...

We were up near 12 degrees Celsius a few days ago and I was expecting to be shoveling and freezing around -20 or -30

Very mild winter so far, all we've had is rain and 3 or so days of snow. Most of the ski hills are still closed and only 30% of snowmobile trails are open even to the extreme North. Very peculiar if you ask me.

[martymas]

hi chappy

here in the deepsouth

the weather patterns are out of sync

with the seasons

it is the middle of summer here

and the last two mornings have been 1 below

but by noon it is some where near 30 to 35

this week a a usa politician john macain

landed here from the antartic

and said the world weather patterns

have changed drastically

he said

the polar region

is starting to melt compared to when he was here

when the bush administration first came to power.

so yes chappy

in the south we are the first to feel

the weather patterns changes

and they have been unpredictable

and i feel it is man made

marty

[JSKY]

A little more trivia. And it could happen again. But would probably take thousands of years.....Tho we all have been surprised by Mother Nature.

I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The hills here, are recorded as twice as old as the Rocky Mountains.

In this geographical area. It has been proven, that in geographic time, the area was covered by 7 different major oceans. The last 3, the Black Hills were formed and were just islands. The area I live in is 1 mile above sea level.

And if you go into some of the canyons, and climb up to the rocks jetting out of the hill tops. You can find millions of ancient sea fossils.

There are a couple of places around here, That show maps of what scientist believe the world looked like during these periods.

Maybe an ARK might not be out of the question....

So........Anyone want to buy advanced tickets?

[robroy]

For this area December and January seem to have switched, just like for Sir Sid. There again tomorrow's forecast is for cold and snow. so I guess it is leveling out again

[Honda_Boy]

whether has been outta whack here in Big Orange Country. Usually we stay nice and cold though the winter. Right now it keeps fluctuating from 30's F and below to 60's and above. It's snowed maybe twice but never stuck. usually we have a snow day or 2 during the school year. Today, we almost had a Rain day. When bridges flood they let us out but it stopped raining just a little early.

[Pete_C]

Here in Dallas, 2005 was the driest year since 1956, and before that 1899. No real rain since sometime in september or october. Still no rain, humidities tend to be below 10% temperatures in the seventies and eighties with a dew point in the low twenties. They keep saying "chance of rain in the forcast, stay tuned for the five day " only to say it is a minimal chance and the air is so dry that any rain will evaporate before it can hit the ground.

Ranchers are at the point where they will have to buy hay or sell their stock or both.

We have multiple grass fires burning hundreds of acres each day in surrounding counties. Causes range from idiots burning outside despite a burn ban to morons using fireworks, welders, throwing out cigarette buts, trains throwing sparks when they hit a stone on the tracks etc.

This is traditionally the coldest and driest month of the year here. Well far from cold, but definitely dry.

[tictoc5150]

50 degrees F @ 7:02 pm in western MA...gotta love it...hate the cold and have no idea why I live in New England!

[thesidekickcat]

Well the Western side of the Pacific Northwest is doing what it normally does this time of year; rain, rain, and more rain.

We have had rain and lots of wind for 27 of last 28 days, and some areas with extremely heavy rains of 3 to 6 inches a day!!! Many areas of Western Washington, Western Oregon, and Northern California have lots of flooding, mudslides, sink holes, buildings that should never have been built where they were are falling down, trees are uprooting, power outages because of trees falling. In other words, it's an old fashioned, nasty, wet winter hereabouts.

Temperatures are milder than usual (our cold spell was for a couple of weeks in December but thankfully mostly dry), but that is because a lot of these storms are 'Pineapple Express' tropical storms from Hawaii. The Jet Stream keeps them rolling right towards us lined right up behind each other, though yesterday and today only drizzle, and tomorrow we might actually see the sun before the next storm comes in Sunday night. This is what winter usually is around here, except for unusual years of drought-like conditions like last winter.

Did I mention there have been a few earthquakes too? One good sized one (4.9 to 5.6 depending on the report) off the Southern Oregon coastal town of Coos Bay, another off the Southwestern coast of Washington, and the news tonight said there was a minor one here in Portland area this morning about 7am, and of course the usual Mt St Helens rumblings.

On a very sad note, we lost one of the brave Columbia River bar pilots last week in very stormy seas while transferring off an outgoing ship back to his pilot boat. Searches couldn't find him, body turned up days later half-way up the coast of Washington.

Columbia River bar pilot lost at sea

Storms will keep powering on through

Does any of our world's weather odd patterns signify global warming? Who knows? We humans haven't been around long enough to chart all the weather cycles, and we sure don't know what the current weather means in geologic time. But as stewards of this place we call home, I think we can learn from our mistakes, and make adjustments to what we do as a civilization, but fully knowing that it may not make a whit of difference in l-o-n-g run. And for any change done it would take everyone on earth (and that is not going to ever happen in my opinion) to change habits to do any good, if there is even good that can be done at all.

Chappy you mentioned freon, do you remember in your fire fighting days the halon fire suppression systems in businesses? I think there were even car engine units too? After many places installed them, and occasionally tripped them into dumping system, it was found that they were as bad as freon for ozone layer? I remember hubby talking about them at a place he worked at for many years. The good part was they preserved computer room equipment versus tripping a wet sprinkler on everything, but no one knew the problems to the atmosphere when they were installed. Quite expensive fire protection systems too, as I remember. So was it wrong to use them before knowing dangers? Nope, not in my opinion, because there is always risk in everything a person or company does....or doesn't do. For instance fires burning through massive computer rooms full of equipment will give off lots of toxic gases too. So if that stuff can be prevented so much to the good, using what is thought to be safe, then changing to something else when that safety measure is found wanting. Live and learn.

Pat

God bless everyone

[bozodog]

Halon is still being used and recomended for boats and in racecars. It's best property is that it's heavier than air. So it floods a closed compartment from the bottom up and tends to stay put.

[TheTerrorist_75]

Temporary reprieve from all that warm weather. Winter is back in Central NY. A lovely 8 degree morning with 20+ mile per hour winds. Gusts are over 30. The dog was shocked when I brought him out for his morning constitutional.

[Chappy]

Chappy you mentioned freon, do you remember in your fire fighting days the halon fire suppression systems in businesses?

Sure do Pat, and it's still in use in many businesses still. Like you say, it's best property is that it doesn't damage expensive electronic equipment but it does have it's drawbacks also...just like everything does nowadays it seems.

JSKY

Yes, I wasn't using the Ozone depletion as the cause of global wrming conditions, it was more just another aspect of the damage we're causing. Excellent explanation of the differences buddy!

What it boils down to I guess, is that we just don't know enough about our planets systems to be sure of anything yet, but one thing we can be sure of though, is that if we continue to deplete the ozone, pump out pollutants, cut down forests, and overfish the oceans, we'll be in a world of hurt before too much longer and no way to reverse the damage done.

One of the most pressing problems is the melting of the polar ice caps. The influx of fresh water into the oceans will shut down the normal currents which is in fact, the way the earth disributes heat around the planet. If the ocean currents are disturbed, or worst case, stopped...the planets way of distributing heat to the northern hemisphere's will effectively stop and the next Ice Age is then underway.

Another recent discovery has pointed to the reversal of magnetic north, to south. There is undisputable evidence that the earth's magnetic poles have reversed many times in the past, and there is growing eveidence that another shift is underway already. The magnetic field is growing weaker every year and computer models show that this is the onset of a flip in the poles. The process takes hundreds of years to complete itself, but in the meantime we suffer the effects of losing our protective radiation shield.

Have a look at the evidence on this one too, it's very intruiging...and scary too.