Is increased snowfall evidence either for or against global warming?
There have been a lot of claims both here and in the media that the large amount of snowfall on the US east coast is somehow evidence against global warming. The familiar ignorant refrain "can somebody help me shovel these 2 feet of global warming from my driveway" has even been heard.
However, there’s nothing new about winter snow on the east coast – in fact it’s the norm. All that’s required for snowfall are freezing temperatures and precipitation. Temperatures get below freezing in that region during the winter, and a 1°C global temperature increase isn’t going to change that.
http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-worst-winter-weather-cities
So if you get heavy snowfall, it’s likely due to increased atmospheric moisture, not cooling temperatures. And in fact a prediction of AGW is an increase in atmospheric moisture and global precipitation.
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1427
Obviously no single weather event can be attributed to global warming or climate change. But do you think increased snowfall is evidence for or against global warming?
Sure. It’s just as you stated. Global warming causes heat. Heat is the fuel of weather systems. And warming raises humidity near large bodies of water. The combination means bigger snows, ON AVERAGE. Not attributing THIS particular storm to global warming, though.
That would be wrong, like picking one year to base your temperature comparisons on.
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:11 am
Neither. Its just snow.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 8:57 am
Sure. It’s just as you stated. Global warming causes heat. Heat is the fuel of weather systems. And warming raises humidity near large bodies of water. The combination means bigger snows, ON AVERAGE. Not attributing THIS particular storm to global warming, though.
That would be wrong, like picking one year to base your temperature comparisons on.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 9:20 am
Living here in NW PA it’s normal to have such heavy snowfall each and every year as we always do.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 9:49 am
Its Winter On MSNBC somebody tried to blame on global warming .
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March 3rd, 2010 at 10:21 am
The rest of the world wishes they could make that sort of statement. So is it normal or abnormal? RFK Jr. touted climate change as influencing DC’s winter weather patterns. My biggest concern; it must be too cold for the Homeless polar bears. Yes even early IPCC assessments included a increase moisture content for the Eastern sea board. But I cant remember the mention of historical blizzards or freezing temperatures. Whats the deal?
http://www.icecap.us
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2008/09/17/homeless-polar-bears-migrate-to-washington-dc
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March 3rd, 2010 at 11:01 am
Is increased snowfall evidence either for or against global warming? No.
It is more likely related to the El Ninyo than changes in CO2 concentration IMO.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 11:50 am
Combine:
1. The warmest lower tropospheric (and likely surface) temperatures on record, resulting in more atmospheric moisture
2. A very strong "off-the-charts" negative Arctic oscillation
http://www.cpc.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/daily_ao_index/ao_index.html
pushing Arctic air far south and bringing rain to Greenland
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/map/images/rnl/sfctmpmer_07a.rnl.html
and parts of the U.S. are primed for a major snow event.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Increased snowfall is evidence of an unusually strong El Nino. Ice storms in December in Atlanta is evidence that we have angered the cloud gods. December in Atlanta is supposed to be sweater weather.
But you know how hard it is to find a sacrificial virgin these days? All the pretty ones worthy of a gift to the gods, are knocked up…
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March 3rd, 2010 at 1:23 pm
America isn’t global.
On a global scale, however, it attributes to cooling the planet. Hot and cold do not consist simultaneously, but rather blend.
Hence the reason why it’s commonly referred to as "climate change".
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March 3rd, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Yes increased precipitation in areas where it normally doesn’t occur in large amounts is a sign of global warming. Global warming is something that basically describes an huge influx in a variety of things. It doesn’t just mean that the world is going to heat up and there wont be any snow ect.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 2:46 pm
I would say one snow fall or snowfall over a short term is meaning less that is called weather. The concept of global warming deals more with climate than weather.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 3:13 pm
On the whole, the extreme weather patterns are evidence *for* global warming. Cold air doesn’t create snow all by itself… You also need warm, moist air. The Jet Stream and the Gulf Stream are both affected by Global Warming and if you combine that with other factors such as El Niño, you get crazy, unusual weather patterns.
_
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March 3rd, 2010 at 3:31 pm
I would agree with those that say something like an event of increased snowfall isn’t proof that ‘global warming’ is a lie. The question though is that can you really blame many of those people who say that this is the case? In some ways I can sympathise with why they say this (even when they are incorrect) and I’ll tell you why.
Look, I live in Australia and that tends to be a pretty warm climate in general. Heck, even many of the poms I hear of find it very uncomfortable when they come here because their climate in general tends to be colder apparently. Anyway, whenever there is an event such as a big bushfire or drought going on ‘down under’ eventually allusions or flatout statements much of the time come out stating something along the lines of ‘this is proof of global warming/climate change’.
This is true even in many other parts of the world. The words ‘global warming/climate change” is, I guess you could say imbedded in many societies. Constantly it has been presented as the world is warming and it is getting hotter and hotter due to human influence. Naturally when the average citizen are seeing/experiencing these pretty intense snowstorms that I’ve been hearing about, is it any wonder why they wouldn’t say some of the things like you mention? Sure, some might exploit the events further to use in their own way but that is to be expected.
When it comes right down to it, from what I can see weather/climate events whether they be hot or cold and perhaps something else entirely (like droughts) are being ‘cherry picked’ and used by many people for various different reasons…….or motives.
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Just my 2 cents.
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Actually, from what I understand, it is more about the strong El Nino weather pattern then it is about climate change. So it is natural and has nothing to do with climate change.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
I wonder what goes on in the mind of a warmist.
I completely agree with you. It’s absurd to assume a 1°C rise in temperatures caused by AGW will prevent normal seasonal weather patterns from occurring. (Psssttt, AGW delusionist should stop making rediculous alarming predictions that snow will soon become a thing of legend). It’s about time we start seeing common sense statements like this, "there’s nothing new about winter snow on the east coast – in fact it’s the norm."
But a moment of clarity is soon followed by delustion, if it’s heavy snowfall it’s probabaly caused by AGW as predicted.
So far what we get from global warming is more of the same normal weather patterns and typical human behavior. Watching these get turned into AGW related disasters and seeing AGW delusionist become baffeled that no one believes them is still pretty funny though, so please excuse me I’m going to go out and shovel the AGW off the drive.
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March 3rd, 2010 at 4:56 pm
No, not global warming, 1998 was very warm but not much snow, it is more than likely the AO phase in conjunction with El-Nino causing it.
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/02/09/what-noaa-isnt-saying-about-snow-and-ice/
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March 3rd, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Neither.
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