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modrepub

(3,469 posts)
23. Global Temperature Changes
Wed Dec 25, 2019, 10:29 AM
Dec 2019

are the most dramatic at the poles, especially the northern hemisphere. Equatorial temperatures are somewhat mitigated by the oceans. I can see continental climate temperatures along the equator rising but the bulk of the global average will be impacted by the northern hemisphere polar temperatures. That has a lot to do with the surface snow-cover changes. Snow at the upper latitudes is a great reflector of solar radiation. It's also a great emitter in the infra-red spectral range so it has a double whammy on temperatures; it reflects sunlight preventing absorption and radiates heat further reducing temperatures. The loss of Arctic sea ice coupled with less year-round snow cover in the northern latitudes by itself leads to warming even without considering the impacts of rising CO2 levels.

The breakdown of the thermohaline circulation in the North Atlantic is a big deal. Theoretically lower temperature contrasts as the poles warm slacken the zonal wind fields, which weakens the Gulf Stream circulation. Greenland melt freshens the North Atlantic and makes it possible to shut the whole circulation down. The ice core record on Greenland is alarming because of how quickly the climate in our neck of the the world can change. It appears our climate acts more like a drunken college student lurching from one side of the street to another. That is just as dangerous to us as a gradual decadal warming trend we are currently marking and also explains why scientists have abandon the term Global Warming for Climate Change over the years.

And unfortunately many and I mean right wingers, don't care. dewsgirl Dec 2019 #1
Humans are destroying the planet and with it, themselves. They refuse to vote CousinIT Dec 2019 #2
i believe we are already tipping hard, and i had shocking evidence on my farm this year mopinko Dec 2019 #3
I am assuming DENVERPOPS Dec 2019 #6
i'm in chicago. mopinko Dec 2019 #18
As a former resident of the Houston area (I was for IKE) I can testify that rain bombs are real flying_wahini Dec 2019 #8
oh thank you!! mopinko Dec 2019 #17
A true leader follows the facts... Harker Dec 2019 #4
But "Greed is good." 3Hotdogs Dec 2019 #5
We may not even have that long... Prospero1 Dec 2019 #7
Ugh. paleotn Dec 2019 #12
We will die with the Amazon. There are 3 things killing it: CaptYossarian Dec 2019 #9
Unrec. Sounds like hyperventilating to me... paleotn Dec 2019 #10
One googles the opening line nilram Dec 2019 #14
It depends on one's definition of "global crop failure" The_jackalope Dec 2019 #24
I have been noticing the rising of our water table, as well. PWPippinesq Dec 2019 #11
The original thread is quite long nilram Dec 2019 #13
Good information in that thread. Thanks for the link. c-rational Dec 2019 #15
Paleo Climate Record modrepub Dec 2019 #16
We're currently changing the climate faster than at any point in the past 65 million years NickB79 Dec 2019 #19
Greenland Ice Core Record modrepub Dec 2019 #21
Northern Europe is not the globe NickB79 Dec 2019 #22
Global Temperature Changes modrepub Dec 2019 #23
Thanks for posting Sherman A1 Dec 2019 #20
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»A concerning text I recei...»Reply #23