Northern
Summer 2007
As
summer draws to a close we can take stock of what the year has
brought and there is plenty to reflect on. The world's climate
is adjusting to the relentless increase in the earth's temperature
and the changes are showing up in a wide variety of ways. Distortions
are occurring throughout
the
planet's cooling systems and it might be timely to refer back
to earlier articles which we have published relating to what's
going on in the air, oceans and land masses on which our survival
depends. (See GWA articles in side panel)
Early summer brought wide spread flooding across many countries.
The United Kingdom was particularly hard hit in the worst flooding
for 60 years. In Oxfordshire the Thames broke it's banks inundating
the surrounding areas. Floods affected not just the low lying
and thus vulnerable countries such as Bangladesh and India but
also occurred in the mid USA leaving 26 people dead in the Houston
area and in Minnesota State. A record 15 inches of rain fell in
Houston County. In China mid July brought extensive flooding to
the Huai river basin, the worst for half a century and displacing
half a million people from their homes. DJBD
Rising sea temperatures increase the air temperature in turn which
can therefore hold more water vapour. More water vapour means
more rain when the air sample cools to Dew Point.
Fire
August Fires in Greece Image
Courtesy NASA
The
ongoing forest fires in Greece which have caused over 60 deaths
have perplexed even the locals who are inured to the regular
summer outbreaks which are fanned by their strong gusty North
Easterly winds they call the Meltemia.This year the spontaneous
nature of the outbreaks have led to arsonist theories, as uncontrollable
fire after fire have swept the Peloponnesian peninsular and
the northern island of Evia. Arson may be part of the answer
but more likely is that the ancient land has been experiencing
ever warmer summers. In the seventies and eighties temperatures
in the mid thirties were to be expected. But, as Romania and
other eastern European countries experienced this summer, the
gauge now tops 40 degrees Celsius for protracted periods. It
takes very little to ignite a fire in such hot dry conditions.
Simple magnification of the sun's rays through pieces of broken
glass can be enough. We have to prepare ourselves for more of
the same.
Air
:
Hurricane Dean Forming Image Courtesy
NASA
The ongoing forest fires in Greece which have caused over 60 deaths
have perplexed even the locals who are inured to the regular summer
outbreaks which are fanned by their strong gusty North Easterly
winds they call the Meltemia.This year the spontaneous nature
of the outbreaks have led to arsonist theories, as uncontrollable
fire after fire have swept the Peloponnesian peninsular and the
northern island of Evia. Arson may be part of the answer but more
likely is that the ancient land has been experiencing ever warmer
summers. In the seventies and eighties temperatures in the mid
thirties were to be expected. But, as Romania and other eastern
European countries experienced this summer, the gauge now tops
40 degrees Celsius for protracted periods. It takes very little
to ignite a fire in such hot dry conditions. Simple magnification
of the sun's rays through pieces of broken glass can be enough.
We have to prepare ourselves for more of the same.
Earth
NorthWest Passage Image Courtesy
NASA
Around the planet 2007 has been a year of extremes with records
for wetness, dryness or excessive temperatures being experienced.
The Hadley Cells are expanding affecting adjacent latitudes causing
increasing droughts while the rising ocean temperatures are loading
up the atmosphere in the temperate zones with more moisture. At
the poles further reductions of sea ice are being recorded. In
northern Canada the search through the legendary North West Passage
is about to be achieved. For five hundred years explorers have
sought in vain to find a more direct route to the Pacific. Always
frustrated by the blocking sea ice August 2007 saw the last remnants
in the process of disappearing. Images from Nasa's satellite Aqua
show what little remains in the way of achieving that long held
ambition. Short term the more efficient transportation of goods
from Asia to Europe will benefit us all, but the long term implications
of what we are doing to our vulnerable world must make us change
our ways before it is too late.
Perhaps
the brooding philosophers from classical times are telling us
that something is not right. The earth was considered firstly
dry and secondly cold. While still dry it is now no longer cold.
Around
the planet 2007 has been a year of extremes with records for wetness,
dryness or excessive temperatures being experienced. The Hadley
Cells are expanding affecting adjacent latitudes causing increasing
droughts while the rising ocean temperatures are loading up the
atmosphere in the temperate zones with more moisture. At the poles
further reductions of sea ice are being recorded. In northern
Canada the search through the legendary North West Passage is
about to be achieved. For five hundred years explorers have sought
in vain to find a more direct route to the Pacific. Always frustrated
by the blocking sea ice August 2007 saw the last remants in the
process of disappearing. Images from Nasa's satellite Aqua show
what little remains in the way of achieving that long held ambition.
Short term the more efficient tranportation of goods from Asia
to Europe will benefit us all, but the long term implications
of what we are doing to our vulnerable world must make us change
our ways before it is too late.
Perhaps
the brooding philosphers from classical times are telling us that
something is not right. The earth was considered firstly dry and
secondly cold. While still dry it is now no longer cold.
