Scotland is having the worst weather for November since the 1960s. Edinburgh is ankle deep in snow, which is very pretty but is causing some chaos. (More chaos than it needs perhaps in some areas, some people are questioning why our schools are closed when schools in Siberia, Finland and Alaska are all open as normal!).
These extreme cold weather conditions of course are causing some people to question climate change, as sceptics always will. The most obvious cause for extreme weather hitting the UK while global temperatures increase, would be the loss of the Gulf Stream. This is the current of warm water that comes up from the southern oceans and passes by the UK making our winters, at least up until two years ago, milder than we would otherwise experience given how far north we are. The Gulf Stream could be lost as Arctic seas become warmer. There is a good article in the Telegraph newspaper, that explains this and other reasons why extremely cold winters in the UK are compatible with overall global warming.
Wildlife is vulnerable in this weather, so if you have a garden, make sure you put out food for the birds. The RSPB offer some excellent advice on how to feed the birds. The RSPB offer some specific advice for feeding birds in winter.
Of course people can be vulnerable in this weather too, so if you have elderly neighbours, please check up on them to see if they need anything.
As ever red text in this post contains hyperlinks which you can follow to find out more!
It's not the worst weather, it's the best! Give me dry flaky snow over relentless grey rain any day!
ReplyDeleteHappiness is... making the first footprints in freshly fallen snow!
Lived in the mid alantic states all my life and I remember some doosey storms. Back in the seventies, they thought that we might soon have an ice age... Last year we had 3, 20+ inches ,snow storms , and that is really unsual for Va; although I always felt that we had 5 good years for skiing and then we would have 5 bad years. To me the weather is somewhat cylic and how are you going to stop India, Brazil.China and others from poluting
ReplyDeleteOur November was almost snow free. Maybe you got our weather this year.
ReplyDeleteOf course global warming must be making a difference in the weather. Our winters are much milder here in Maine than when I moved to the state in the early 70's.
Totalfeckineejit - as I said it's pretty and i do like fresh snow as much as anyone does
ReplyDeletecarolm yes of course the weather is cyclical but its undeniable that humans are having an effect and well we need to decrease emissions because otherwise we're pretty much doomed....
sandy - yes our winters had been much milder for years until last year
Even one degree in ocean temps can change weather and feeding patterns.
ReplyDeleteWe had our coolest November and wettest last few months in years, but that is the LaNina effect (and thank goodness for it - we need the water)related to the oceans. Climate change skeptics love to cherry pick data.
ReplyDeletesounds like you're enjoying a BIG snow. we're supposed to get some snow tomorrow, we'll see. i think climate change is happening all around because i notice changes in the weather here too. hope the animals fair well through the extreme temperatures. hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the snow and stay warm!
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