From the “weather is not c..c..cl..climate” department, cold and snow hits hard. Meanwhile, Hot Weather Convinces Media of Climate Change; Cold Weather Ignored.
And it heads far south too. A hard freeze warning has been issued for the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area:
And lest somebody say that this cold event isn’t significant, I’ll let the NWS do the talking here:
Longest Stretch of Cold Weather in 15 to 25 Years Possible This Week
…Longest Stretch of Much Below Normal Temperatures in 15 to 25 Years Possible…
Temperatures are expected to remain much below normal over all of south Florida this week, with the possibility of even colder temperatures this upcoming weekend. For detailed information on expected temperatures, please follow the indicated links for our textual and graphical forecasts. For freeze/wind chill watches and warnings, please check our hazards page.
It is not unheard of to have freezing or near-freezing temperatures in south Florida each winter. In fact, inland areas south and west of Lake Okeechobee experience freezing temperatures at least once a year on average. Over the metro and coastal areas of south Florida, freezing temperatures are less frequent, but even in these areas freezing temperatures have occurred about every 5 to 10 years on average. Temperatures drop to at least 35 about every 1 to 2 years in the Naples area, and about every 2 years in the outlying areas of southeast Florida. For the urban areas of Miami/Fort Lauderdale, temperatures drop to at least 35 degrees about 2 to 3 times a decade, At West Palm Beach, the average is about every 1 to 2 years.
What is more noteworthy about the current cold snap is the duration of the event. Typical south Florida cold snaps last about 2-3 days before winds switch to an easterly direction and blow warmer Atlantic air across the region. However, our current weather pattern is what is referred to as a “blocking pattern”. This means that weather systems that typically move from west to east at fairly regular intervals are instead remaining in place for several days. A strong low pressure system over northern New England and eastern Canada is being “blocked” by a large high pressure system near Greenland. This in turn is creating a stationary high pressure system over the western U.S. and Canada. The result of this blocked flow is an uninterrupted and prolonged flow of air from the Arctic region of Canada southward over the eastern two-thirds of the country, including Florida.
Temperatures have dropped to below 50 degrees for three consecutive mornings over almost all of south Florida, with temperatures dropping to 45 or lower from Collier County east to Palm Beach County and points north. The latest forecast calls for lows to drop below 45 degrees over all of south Florida through Thursday morning. This would give 6 consecutive days of sub-50 and/or 45 degree-or-lower temperatures.
Following are the dates of the last time we had at least 6 consecutive days of low temperatures below 50 degrees in southeast Florida:
Miami and Fort Lauderdale: January 2001
Record is 13 days in Miami (January – February 1940) and 12 days in Fort Lauderdale in January 1956
West Palm Beach: January 2003
Record for West Palm Beach is 12 days set in December 2000-January 2001 and January 1956.
Following are the dates of the last time we had 6 consecutive days of low temperatures of 45 degrees or lower in Naples;
Naples: December 1989
Record for Naples is 8 days in January 1977.
Following are the dates of the last time we had 5 consecutive days of low temperatures of 40 degrees or lower in Moore Haven;
Moore Haven: January 24-28, 2001.
Record for Moore Haven is 9 days from December 31, 2000 to January 8, 2001.
Therefore, it’s been at least 7 years since we’ve had a prolonged stretch of temperatures in the 40s and 30s, with some areas going back as far as 21 years! Taking into account the daily average temperature, it’s possible that we’ll have up to 5 consecutive days of temperatures averaging at least 10-15 degrees below normal. For most of south Florida, the last time we had a stretch that cold was in 1995, with some areas going back to the mid to late 1980s.
Here’s a sampling of headlines around the world:
Temps Plunge to Record as Cold Snap Freezes North, East States
Seoul buried in heaviest snowfall in 70 years
Vermont sets ‘all-time record for one snowstorm’
Iowa temps ‘a solid 30 degrees below normal’
Power goes out at Reagan National outside DC
Seoul buried in heaviest snowfall in 70 years
Peru’s mountain people ‘face extinction because of cold conditions’…
World copes with Arctic weatherWinter Could Be Worst in 25 Years for USA
Britain braced for heaviest snowfall in 50-years
GAS SUPPLIES RUNNING OUT IN UK
Miami shivers from coldest weather in decade
Northern Sweden on the way to 50 degrees below zero
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Check out this article on MSN’s main page this morning.
U.K. shivers through worst cold snap in decades
Army rescues motorists after 16 inches of snow is dumped on some areas..
And the idiots are still saying we are in global warming.. I think they need psychiatric evaluations.. All of them..
I sure wish folks would quit complaining about the weather we are currently experiencing. Isn’t this is the way the weather should be?
Warm = bad.
Cold = good.
JohnH 01:24:11
That Daily Express front page was first for review on Sky news last night. The reviewers were a particularly childish political commentator from the left and a vacuous Tory MP. Between them they rubbished the headline on the basis that ” it’s not AGW it’s Climate Change. CC means just that – it gets hot and it gets cold, stupid! We can expect more severe winters from time to time! ”
It was quite obvious from their in depth and meaningful analysis of the subject that their comprehension of the subject came from small talk on the dinner party circuit of their respective intimates rather than the slightest part of any research that they might have conducted for themselves.
The problem we have in the UK is that in a few months we have to vote for one or other of the parties that these idiots represent.
Meanwhile, in the real world, as the snow lies deeper by the day over more and more of the UK, Gloucestershire County Council have called on all private 4×4 owners to come forward and volunteer their services to reach and assist the elderly and social services clients that are threatened by the worsening conditions. What price the green electric town car now then? And will we get back the extra road tax inposed on suvs?
So little salt was stockpiled that it is already running out despite the fact that only the main routes have been salted since day one over two weeks ago. We have main roads running but desperate or undriveable conditions on the routes that feed them!
Pavements are unsalted and broken bones are a growth industry in our hospitals!
Windmills blight our landscape, yet in the coldest of conditions produce no power. This year we will pay a hidden levy on our domestic power bills of 10% to subsidise these anachronistic excrescences, which unlike their predecessors, will not become quaint bijoux properties when no longer required!
Greens have no brains and they ARE dangerous!! Fact.
Warm spots in Maine are due to a huge blizzard which formed east of Cape Cod and then did a loop-de-loop over Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine. Pressure fell to 960-965 mb at center. Didn’t get much media coverage because the heavy snow didn’t hit big cities. Relatively mild maritime air was swept around the top, and it was actually seven degrees warmer in Augusta Maine than it was 1500 miles south in Augusta Georgia. This wave of maritime air over the top can be seen effecting areas as far west as Lake Huron, in satellite animations.
I could feel the milder air in Southern New Hampshire, though it stayed below freezing. 29F feels much warmer than 15F. However the wind from this storm was very impressive. I cleared away snow on Saturday, and the drifting was so bad there was no sign of my work on Sunday morning, though we’d only had another additional 3 inches.
This is the third huge storm to effect the USA in 3 weeks. I’d like to see a study about how much heat is consumed by such storms. Warm, moist air is hoisted high into the atmosphere, where latent heat is released both by water vapor turning into liquid, and by liquid turning into snowflakes. I imagine a lot of this heat is then lost into outer space. Anyone seen papers discussing this?
I read a blurb by Hansen where he stated that Global Warming was “masked” by the consumption of heat in the process of ice turning into liquid. (Melting ice-caps, and so forth.) It would seem that the process must work both ways. Therefore the process of Global Cooling should be “masked” by the process of liquid turning into ice.
Therefore I imagine these huge storms balance out the El Nino’s added heat in at least three ways:
1.) Large amounts of heat are brought up to the upper atmosphere, where latent heat is released, as water turns from liquid to solid, and this heat is lost to outer space.
2.) The solidified water then falls as snow, which creates a brilliant white surface which reflects solar heating, and enhances radiational cooling.
3.) When the snow-cover melts, it absorbs much available heat (which becomes “latent heat” that is released in the next cycle.)
It all seems like a marvelous balance to me.
Bryan Sweeney (05:04:35) :
I have read through the Gerlich paper now. It took a long time, but was indeed worth it. How can a person have so much in his head? Very impressive.
And it reviwed much of my knowledge from younger days. Yes, indeed, the greenhouse effect exists only in a .. …..greenhouse !
And the athmosphere is no greenhouse . Very informative paper.
DirkH (06:06:33) : “Re investment tips: go long on tourism. People will pay any price to escape the cold. My take.”
The time to buy that winter home in Florida is now. Prices are low plus you can negotiate with foreclosures and bank owned property. Just remember to stay south of Tampa.
My brain instantly short-circuits when I hear the idiomatic “nor-easter” or “easterly winds”. Does this mean the winds are blowing from the east or <toward the east?
If these winds blow “warm Atlantic air” across the Florida peninsula, aren’t they blowing in a westerly dirtection, or coming from the east?
File this in the overly-pedantic (round) file if it’s obvious to everyone else.
Did anyone else find this statement to be as deliciously sparkle-headed as I did?
– When you look at the thermometer now indicates it may be five degrees below zero. But a hundred years ago, it would have been minus six degrees, “says Kolstad.
Sort of puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?
Zap! Gore’s Frozen.
…-
“‘Frozen Gore’ sculpture returns in Fairbanks to fuel climate change debate
Fairbanks Daily Miner ^ | January 5, 2010 | Jeff Richardson
FAIRBANKS – In what might become an annual tradition, an ice sculpture of former Vice President Al Gore has taken its place in front of Thrifty Liquor along Airport Way.
The two-ton “Frozen Gore” sculpture isn’t exactly a tribute. It’s a tongue-in-cheek critique of Gore’s vocal belief in man-made climate change, complete with hot air pouring out of his mouth.
Local businessmen Craig Compeau and Rudy Gavora contracted the piece from award-winning sculptor Steve Dean and say they’ll keep erecting one each winter until Gore accepts an invitation to discuss the global warming issue in Fairbanks.
“We do want to invite debate,” Compeau said. “We don’t agree with his theories — we’re suspicious of the financial motivation behind them.”
This year’s version includes special effects, thanks to a system that pipes the exhaust from a Ford F-350 out of Gore’s open mouth. Compeau will fire up the truck periodically this winter to create the “hot air” effect.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsminer.com …
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2422189/posts
(Pic included)
Bill Tuttle (02:32:47) :
Of course these online polls are quite useless except perhaps to jolt or embarrass the media or for computer geeks and zealots to gang up similarly to the science museum or the Noble Peace Prize, but had Real-Climate won for Best Religious Blog that would have been soooo yummy it would just have to have been fattening. That would truly be a guilty pleasure.
Back at the Norwegian newspaper article…
– The climate impact is greater in other parts of the world, where there also live many more people than in the northern hemisphere. Der er én grads temperaturøkning forskjellen mellom tørke eller ikke tørke, sier Kolstad. There is one degree increase in temperature difference between dry or not dry, “says Kolstad.
This pony has gone around the ring a few times. I heard it in 1974 or 1975 in a different, and more ridiculous context.
I’d like these fellows to give an example or two of places where this occurs. Also, they have to make a case that the dryness comes from the temperature change, and not from a third factor that causes both the temperature change and the dryness.
Maybe it is because I am just a tad shy of 60 years old, but I can’t bring myself to fall completely for anything that someone as young as Messr. Kolstad says. Is that ageism on my part? Is that a bad thing?
par5 (00:58:47) :
“this cold event isn’t insignificant…
I was in ninth grade Catholic high school when it snowed, in Miami, at about 9:00am, 1977. It dissipated when it hit the ground, but it was still snow. Good times…”
I live in Pinellas County near Tampa. Pinellas is a peninsula and has moderated temperatures, high and low, because of the ocean water surrounding more than 75% of its perimeter. That said, I took pictures of frost in our yard this morning. The forecast for Saturday/Sunday is rain, high winds and a low of 28 F. That tells me to have the video camera ready to record the first measurable snowfall in the Tampa area since January 19, 1977.
Weather is not climate
Freezer burns not caused by a hot oven
Snowless winters coming
..wrong also.
Actually summers have remained snowless.
Yes wind direction is specified as the direction from which the wind originates. Thus an Easterly comes from the East and so forth.
Kindest Regards.
I purchased a new Ford Fusion in the spring of 2009. I wanted to help out a little by reducing my fuel consumption and the failing economy.
The Ford design engineers must have consulted the MET office for future climate conditions and decided to factory install engine block heaters on them. I’m really glad they did because I live in Missouri and currently there is 10 inches of global warming on the ground, 6 more on the way and an overnight heat wave of -13F with windblown heat around -30F.
Nothing new here with this current weather cycle. I’ve skated on a pond in March and mowed the lawn in December. I guess I just dated myself
Seriously a folks, what the governments are doing is taking control of world energy supplies’ KNOWING that years of cold weather are in the future. It’s all about the tax $$$$$$$’s and that one world order thing.
Tim
So, if we have more snow on the ground, would we then see a greater increase in reflected IR with a net cooling effect?
Can we sue all those climate alarmists for shoving their driveways clear and reducing the snow cover? >smirk<
But my question is: How many of these temperatures are eliminated as outliers in the formulas used to change temperature into something meaningful?
Bill Parsons (08:08:39)
Easterlies come FROM the East. In Britain when the wind blows off the Atlantic they are called WESTERLIES i.e. FROM the West.
I can also be a pedant like the end of the first decade of the 21st century is on 31st Dec. 2010 not 31st Dec. 2009 as MSM are saying.
Enjoy.
Rob Vermeulen (05:49:37) :
“A few answers:…
Gael Combs: wikipedia is not the devil. Moreover, Roy Spencer who’s taking care of UAH is a good scientist, and he’s even some sort of a “skeptic hero” in a way… i can’t see why we could not trust his data…”
Wikipedia is known for its “edit wars” on any subject touching climate therefore it is a VERY poor choice as a reference since Dr. Spencer can not be assured the information he referenced has not been changed to something else.
As far as the Satellite temperature data is concerned I am neutral.
However in my location, comparing 1994 (satellite minus 0.1 C) to this year (satellite +.28 C) I had a cool spring, mild summer, rainy cool fall and frigid winter. The high temperatures were at least 4F degrees cooler than the normal 98F seen frequently in May, June, July and August – that is the top temp this year was 94F for the spring and summer months. On top of that we have the CRU e-mail complaining there has been no warming and graphs here showing either no warming or cooling for the decade.
At this point I do not believe any of it. I do not think we can actually measure what we think we are measuring to the precision we think we are measuring it. A typical problem in science. Was it cooler in the seventies? yes has it warmed since then? yes Will it continue to warm? I very much doubt it and I think despite what the satellite temperature data is showing this year we are starting into a cooling trend.
My biggest problem is the precision. I do not think minus 0.1 C is actually different than +0.28 C
“TimNez (09:34:20) :
[…]
The Ford design engineers must have consulted the MET office for future climate conditions and decided to factory install engine block heaters on them. ”
Ford is one of the most popular car brands in Russia!
Corinth Vermont- New record of 0.5 inches, old record of 0.0 in 2009????
OOPS meant accuracy not precision.
Has anyone seen the UK MET Office “cold snap” explanation at http://metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2010/pr20100106b.html
The money paragraph:
However, it is not cold everywhere in the world. North-east America, Canada, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and south-west Asia have all seen temperatures above normal – in many places by more than 5 °C, and in parts of northern Canada, by more than 10 °C
[Please provide a legit email address. ~dbs, mod.]
Eddie (07:27:14) :
“I know that there have been records set but I know that some of them are erroneous. I live in Indiana and some of the snow fall records (Lafayette, IN 1.2″ 12/31/2009 previous 0″ 2008) are off (we had a pretty big snow fall in 2007 of 17″). Maybe some of these are new stations that haven’t had previous years of data to compare to. Look at Grand Haven WWTP in Michigan, 0.5″ Jan 03 2010, 0″ 2009. Can someone take a look at why some of these are records when we know that Michigan, especially Grand Haven gets lake effect snow quite often?”
There is a rumor that an elite group of skeptics, disguised as polar bears, have infiltrated many of the reporting stations and are artificially manipulating weather reports. RealClimate has been alerted and are investigating claims from various sources that a “watsup” blog may be responsible for the group’s organization and direction.
For the two fellows belly-aching about China and Wal-Mart, I have a question!
Why do you spell Wal-Mart with two l’s (as in WallMart)? It is Wal-Mart (as in Sam ‘Wal’ton)…get it?