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2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?

 
Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 05:41 PM
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2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?


By Dr. Jeff Masters
Published: 4:00 PM GMT on June 24, 2011

Every year extraordinary weather events rock the Earth. Records that have stood centuries are broken. Great floods, droughts, and storms affect millions of people, and truly exceptional weather events unprecedented in human history may occur. But the wild roller-coaster ride of incredible weather events during 2010, in my mind, makes that year the planet's most extraordinary year for extreme weather since reliable global upper-air data began in the late 1940s.

Never in my 30 years as a meteorologist have I witnessed a year like 2010--the astonishing number of weather disasters and unprecedented wild swings in Earth's atmospheric circulation were like nothing I've seen. The pace of incredible extreme weather events in the U.S. over the past few months have kept me so busy that I've been unable to write-up a retrospective look at the weather events of 2010. But I've finally managed to finish, so fasten your seat belts for a tour through the top twenty most remarkable weather events of 2010. At the end, I'll reflect on what the wild weather events of 2010 and 2011 imply for our future.


[link to www.wunderground.com]
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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06/24/2011 06:07 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
Isn't this great article pinworthy?
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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06/24/2011 06:14 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?


Where will Earth's climate go from here? The pace of extreme weather events has remained remarkably high during 2011, giving rise to the question--is the "Global Weirding" of 2010 and 2011 the new normal? Has human-caused climate change destabilized the climate, bringing these extreme, unprecedented weather events? Any one of the extreme weather events of 2010 or 2011 could have occurred naturally sometime during the past 1,000 years. But it is highly improbable that the remarkable extreme weather events of 2010 and 2011 could have all happened in such a short period of time without some powerful climate-altering force at work. The best science we have right now maintains that human-caused emissions of heat-trapping gases like CO2 are the most likely cause of such a climate-altering force.

Human-caused climate change has fundamentally altered the atmosphere by adding more heat and moisture. Observations confirm that global atmospheric water vapor has increased by about 4% since 1970, which is what theory says should have happened given the observed 0.5°C (0.9°F) warming of the planet's oceans during the same period. Shifts of this magnitude are capable of significantly affecting the path and strength of the jet stream, behavior of the planet's monsoons, and paths of rain and snow-bearing weather systems. For example, the average position of the jet stream retreated poleward 270 miles (435 km) during a 22-year period ending in 2001, in line with predictions from climate models. A naturally extreme year, when embedded in such a changed atmosphere, is capable of causing dramatic, unprecedented extremes like we observed during 2010 and 2011. That's the best theory I have to explain the extreme weather events of 2010 and 2011--natural extremes of El Niño, La Niña and other natural weather patterns combined with significant shifts in atmospheric circulation and the extra heat and atmospheric moisture due to human-caused climate change to create an extraordinary period of extreme weather. However, I don't believe that years like 2010 and 2011 will become the "new normal" in the coming decade. Many of the flood disasters in 2010 -2011 were undoubtedly heavily influenced by the strong El Niño and La Niña events that occurred, and we're due for a few quiet years without a strong El Niño or La Niña. There's also the possibility that a major volcanic eruption in the tropics or a significant quiet period on the sun could help cool the climate for a few years, cutting down on heat and flooding extremes (though major eruptions tend to increase drought.) But the ever-increasing amounts of heat-trapping gases humans are emitting into the air puts tremendous pressure on the climate system to shift to a new, radically different, warmer state, and the extreme weather of 2010 - 2011 suggests that the transition is already well underway. A warmer planet has more energy to power stronger storms, hotter heat waves, more intense droughts, heavier flooding rains, and record glacier melt that will drive accelerating sea level rise. I expect that by 20 - 30 years from now, extreme weather years like we witnessed in 2010 will become the new normal.

Finally, I'll leave you with a quote from Dr. Ricky Rood's climate change blog, in his recent post,Changing the Conversation: Extreme Weather and Climate: "Given that greenhouse gases are well known to hold energy close to the Earth, those who deny a human-caused impact on weather need to pose a viable mechanism of how the Earth can hold in more energy and the weather not be changed. Think about it."
exStepfordian

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06/24/2011 06:24 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
Great find OP.

I agree that this year has been the most extreme weather year I have ever seen. AND with each new historical record breaking occurrence, the 'doubters' I know are now thinking 'it' over.
All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
~Arthur Schopenhauer
Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 06:27 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
I stop reading after human caused.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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06/24/2011 06:30 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
Great find OP.

I agree that this year has been the most extreme weather year I have ever seen. AND with each new historical record breaking occurrence, the 'doubters' I know are now thinking 'it' over.
 Quoting: exStepfordian


It's a great review of the fury of Mother Nature this past year. I know a lot of people start frothing at any mention of global warming.
exStepfordian

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06/24/2011 06:34 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
Great find OP.

I agree that this year has been the most extreme weather year I have ever seen. AND with each new historical record breaking occurrence, the 'doubters' I know are now thinking 'it' over.
 Quoting: exStepfordian


It's a great review of the fury of Mother Nature this past year. I know a lot of people start frothing at any mention of global warming.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1441470


Agreed. In order to keep 'their' job, 'they' have to say it is mankind. All I know is that things are a changin and quickly.
All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
~Arthur Schopenhauer
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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06/24/2011 08:44 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
1816!
Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 08:48 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
1816!
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1441470


Well it happened before... I guess 1816 was even worse... and sure before that also many many many many many many many many other years before all this record keeping crap etc...

so whatever peace
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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06/24/2011 08:51 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
1816!
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1441470


Well it happened before... I guess 1816 was even worse... and sure before that also many many many many many many many many other years before all this record keeping crap etc...

so whatever peace
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1004920


"Record keeping crap."

putin
Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 08:52 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
lol,a whole 195 years,out of how many? oh 100,000...right


(100,000...just counting modern humans existence)
Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 09:00 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
Looking back through the 1800s, which was a very cool period, I can't find any years that had more exceptional global extremes in weather than 2010, until I reach 1816. That was the year of the devastating "Year Without a Summer"--caused by the massive climate-altering 1815 eruption of Indonesia's Mt. Tambora, the largest volcanic eruption since at least 536 A.D. It is quite possible that 2010 was the most extreme weather year globally since 1816.
gibs
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06/24/2011 09:02 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
I like WU but when i hear his mankind global warming crap and in the same dissertion says a volcano caused global cooling i assert that the earth can create whatever global temps with us or without us and normal weather is for heaven that we ain't been to yet but my guess is it would be perfect and have no fluctuations cause well?
Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 09:04 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
Mother nature says don't tempt me I have just got started and..............time has not stopped for recording all and any possibilities...
:)

yea....
gibs
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06/24/2011 09:10 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
Just think that he has no opinion on what the sun can do also and man made manipulation is an afterthought except for the magnifier in the sky which hopefully GOD can control or else we are a mistake and much older things which rely on energy will have the last laugh= i got a smile on my face really!
Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 09:14 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?


By Dr. Jeff Masters
Published: 4:00 PM GMT on June 24, 2011

Every year extraordinary weather events rock the Earth. Records that have stood centuries are broken. Great floods, droughts, and storms affect millions of people, and truly exceptional weather events unprecedented in human history may occur. But the wild roller-coaster ride of incredible weather events during 2010, in my mind, makes that year the planet's most extraordinary year for extreme weather since reliable global upper-air data began in the late 1940s.

Never in my 30 years as a meteorologist have I witnessed a year like 2010--the astonishing number of weather disasters and unprecedented wild swings in Earth's atmospheric circulation were like nothing I've seen. The pace of incredible extreme weather events in the U.S. over the past few months have kept me so busy that I've been unable to write-up a retrospective look at the weather events of 2010. But I've finally managed to finish, so fasten your seat belts for a tour through the top twenty most remarkable weather events of 2010. At the end, I'll reflect on what the wild weather events of 2010 and 2011 imply for our future.


[link to www.wunderground.com]
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1441470


2013 is the start of global cooling after the sun peaks, now you know why we need seed vaults.....
Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 09:20 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?

1) Earth's hottest year on record

2) Most extreme winter Arctic atmospheric circulation on record; "Snowmageddon" results

3) Arctic sea ice: lowest volume on record, 3rd lowest extent

4) Record melting in Greenland, and a massive calving event

5) Second most extreme shift from El Niño to La Niña

6) Second worst coral bleaching year

7) Wettest year over land

8) Amazon rainforest experiences its 2nd 100-year drought in 5 years

9) Global tropical cyclone activity lowest on record

10) A hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season: 3rd busiest on record

11) A rare tropical storm in the South Atlantic

12) Strongest storm in Southwestern U.S. history

13) Strongest non-coastal storm in U.S. history

14) Weakest and latest-ending East Asian monsoon on record

15) No monsoon depressions in India's Southwest Monsoon for 2nd time in 134 years

16) The Pakistani flood: most expensive natural disaster in Pakistan's history

17) The Russian heat wave and drought: deadliest heat wave in human history

18) Record rains trigger Australia's most expensive natural disaster in history

19) Heaviest rains on record trigger Colombia's worst flooding disaster in history

20) Tennessee's 1-in-1000 year flood kills 30, does $2.4 billion in damage

Anonymous Coward
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06/24/2011 09:39 PM
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Re: 2010 - 2011: Earth's most extreme weather since 1816?
I didn't know last year's Russian heat wave was the deadliest ever!

wtf





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