Dire climate trend

After reading BK’s highly informative piece on the Mississippi River I took a few deep breaths and contemplated what we are now experiencing. A second year of polar like conditions, last year the summer that never was, the freezing over of Niagra Falls has me wondering whether we are on the verge of another ice age. While this may have die hard ice fishermen drooling there may be others who might find this disconcerting. I mean not to be an alarmist, but it’s getting scary out there. This summer I’m planning a road trip to Colorado. The rockies give me insight and after taking a few more deep breaths may help me see more clearly the path this earth is taking. Already I’m feeling a little better, I think I’ll play some John Denver, for some reason his song Rocky Mountain High seems appropriate.

blame Al Gore and pass a fattie

This is weather.

Far from climate. If it last another 100 yrs, start to get nervous. Until then, just normal fluctuations in weather.

Don’t like it? Wait 10 minutes….

I’m not sure I’d use the word scary, it’s winter.

In 1996 Minnesota hit -60 air temp

Niagra Falls isn’t frozen the water moves to fast for it to ever freeze.

Climate Aboulomania. Some might say.

Think how cold it would be if it weren’t for global warming…..

Out of curiosity I looked on the NOAA website for the official MPLS/STP climate data. So far the HDD (heating degree days) since July 1 is 5461. Normal would be 5424. That would make it within 1% of a normal heating season (so far).

For winter… HDD since Dec 1 is 3668 and normal would be 3805. Or a bit warmer than normal.

I don’t want anybody to overly concern themselves with the on the surface subject. There may be other subtle nuances contained in the post. Kind of like listening to the lyrics of a song and then finding its message was very different.

I suck when it comes to subtle nuances, just ask my wife.

belletaine wrote:

I suck when it comes to subtle nuances, just ask my wife.

Don’t sell yourself short, you HAVE a wife.

Good point… here’s the Goddess …

We were going thru pics and well, that’s her nickname around here.

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After my last trip to the Quad Citys our house will have zero heating days for the rest of the winter and it really doesn’t matter how long “winter” lasts.

Dutchboy wrote:

Niagra Falls isn’t frozen the water moves to fast for it to ever freeze.

A layer of ice forms of part of the falls. Water flows beneath and over this (some of as slush). It’s considered to have partially frozen over, even though water still flows. Quite a site to see.
http://www.businessinsider.com/images-of-frozen-niagara-falls-2015-2

Hope springs eternal,

Here is some possibly uplifting news, my 3 domestic ducks are now consistently laying eggs at a rate of 1 per day for each of them. They had stopped during the longer, dark nights, but now with the longer daylight…and spring right around the corner happy days are here again. How does a nice cheese omelet sound?

32 here this morning. Keep your damn polar vortexes up there, would you?

IT was -34 below yesterday when I left home. I am not sure but I think that was the coldest so far this winter.

Like posted earlier, if any kind of change lasts at least 100 years then maybe I will review my position until then enjoy the “weather” which in MN will change about every 10 minutes or so.:) Loved last summer cool and nice:)

mplspug wrote:

32 here this morning. Keep your damn polar vortexes up there, would you?

making ice ?

Only in the bird bath…

castle-rock-clown wrote:

After reading BK’s highly informative piece on the Mississippi River I took a few deep breaths and contemplated what we are now experiencing. A second year of polar like conditions, last year the summer that never was, the freezing over of Niagra Falls has me wondering whether we are on the verge of another ice age.

tegg wrote:

Out of curiosity I looked on the NOAA website for the official MPLS/STP climate data. So far the HDD (heating degree days) since July 1 is 5461. Normal would be 5424. That would make it within 1% of a normal heating season (so far).

For winter… HDD since Dec 1 is 3668 and normal would be 3805. Or a bit warmer than normal.

These two posts show to me very clearly how there’s often a gap between the public’s perception of weather and climate and the actual data.

Obviously, the biggest issue is the recent event bias. Ask someone on the coldest day of the year if the winters are getting colder and they will almost always say “yes”.

The biggest concern I have is that to me it seems we seem to get more radical swings in weather. It will be very wet, then dry. Very cold and then above average temps.

Last year for example, it wouldn’t quit raining in May, June, and July. Then in late July through September, it was just the occasional shower and enough water to barely keep things going. I got lucky and planted my deer plot right before the only 1+ inch rain my area got in July.

Of course, this could be just my own recent event bias, but I would like to know if there’s data that shows the swings to be more radicle?

Grouse

Grouse, you need to go to Colorado with me to ponder these things.