2008: More Heat Expected Again

[PointRadix]

Climatologists expect more heat for 2008

23 March 2008

Climate experts predict that, despite icy conditions at the start of the year, 2008 is on track to developing into one of the warmest years since systematic records began in the 1860’s.

They contend that while snow was recorded in some unusual parts of the Earth this year, including Greece, Iraq and Florida, it was a warm winter in the north, especially Finland and Norway. The climatologists expect an underlying warming trend to begin after the end of the La Niña cooling of the Pacific.

Source: Environmental news - Scotsman.com News

[Marulus]

We will see if any other year can surpass in heat the unsurpassable year 2003.

[Susi]

Warmest year?!? ,-, I've had snow into bloody March here! And it snowed yesterday! ,-, Gahh!

[Menydh]

It is constantly reports moving onto one direction and the opposite.

With the start of the Spring, there have been places where it has snowed for the first time this... Winter. Strange weather.

[M.R.]

The weather is completly f**ked up now, I hate snow in spring and constant weather changes, one day it's hot and complete spring weather as if we were in May, the next day it's already February weather. But I do believe this has something to do with global warming, I'm not a specialist though, but I expect a very warm sommer. We'll see if I'm right.

[Menydh]

A heat wave in Spain, on July 2004:

On July 1, 2004, Spain (roughly the right-most three-quarters of the peninsula) and Portugal (left-hand quarter) were in the midst of a blistering heat wave that cost several people their lives. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite captured this image (13:35 UTC, or 2:35 p.m. local time in Lisbon, Portugal) cool, sheltering clouds hugged only the northern coastline, while the rest of the country baked in the Sun.

The surface temperature image shows temperature observations collected by MODIS that scientists have color-coded in shades of pink (coldest temperatures) to blackish-red (highest temperatures). Deep reds dominate the country, especially around the central part of the border between the two countries, where land surface temperatures reach a scorching 59 degrees Celsius (138 degrees Fahrenheit). According to news reports, air temperatures were above 40 degrees Celsius (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit), and energy demand for air conditioning and refrigeration had caused power blackouts in places.

Visible Earth: Heat wave across Spain (surface temperature image)

[Menydh]

There is an interesting explanation on NASA's Earth Observatory site on how (and if) the Earth is warming up, or cooling down. And why. A 4 page worth a read: Earth Observatory Feature: Earth\'s Temperature Tracker

Originally Posted by PointRadix

Climatologists expect more heat for 2008

23 March 2008

Climate experts predict that, despite icy conditions at the start of the year, 2008 is on track to developing into one of the warmest years since systematic records began in the 1860’s.

This news article from March 18 reports that although Arctic ice has recovered some levels due to the cold temperatures this winter, these are young ice layers thinner than the compact, perennial ices which are the one that survive through the warmer seasons.

EO News: Researchers Say Arctic Sea Ice Still at Risk Despite Cold Winter - March 18, 2008


The picture below compares the levels of perennial ices of an average February from 1985 to 2000, with those of February 2008. The darker blue is the extension of perennial ices, and the lighter are those of younger ices.



Since the thinner (younger) ices are likelier to melt under warm temperatures, I wonder if the existance of such a vast extension of young ices will not release an excessive quantity of Arctic water that would produce a cooling effect in northern Europe during the Summer. Not to mention an unusual raise of sea levels over the coming years, if the trend continues, which could reclaim coastal lowlands into the seas.

EO Newsroom: New Images - Arctic Sea Ice Younger than Normal