Climate change with Trinny

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091130112421.htm
Big freeze plunged Europe into ice age in months
Around 12,800 years ago the northern hemisphere was hit by a mini ice-age, known by scientists as the Younger Dryas, and nicknamed the 'Big Freeze', which lasted around 1300 years. Geological evidence shows that the Big Freeze was brought about by a sudden influx of freshwater, when the glacial Lake Agassiz in North America burst its banks and poured into the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. This vast pulse, a greater volume than all of North America's Great Lakes combined, diluted the North Atlantic conveyor belt and brought it to a halt.

Previous evidence from Greenland ice cores has indicated that this sudden change in climate occurred over the space of a decade or so. Now new data shows that the change was amazingly abrupt, taking place over the course of a few months, or a year or two at most.

(Isotope) records show that temperatures plummeted and lake productivity stopped over the course of just a few years. "It would be like taking Ireland today and moving it up to Svalbard, creating icy conditions in a very short period of time," says Patterson, who presented the findings at the European Science Foundation BOREAS conference on humans in the Arctic, in Rovaniemi, Finland.

http://dailycaller.com/2013/12/13/study-earth-was-warmer-in-roman-medieval-times/
A Swedish study found that the planet was warmer in ancient Roman times and the Middle Ages than today, challenging the mainstream idea that man-made greenhouse gas emissions are the main drivers of global warming.

The study, by scientist Leif Kullman, analyzed 455 “radiocarbon-dated mega-fossils” in the Scandes mountains and found that tree lines for different species of trees were higher during the Roman and Medieval times than they are today. Not only that, but the temperatures were higher as well.

“Historical tree line positions are viewed in relation to early 21st century equivalents, and indicate that tree line elevations attained during the past century and in association with modern climate warming are highly unusual, but not unique, phenomena from the perspective of the past 4,800 years,” Kullman found. “Prior to that, the pine tree line (and summer temperatures) was consistently higher than present, as it was also during the Roman and Medieval periods.”

Kullman also wrote that “summer temperatures during the early Holocene thermal optimum may have been 2.3°C higher than present.” The “Holocene thermal optimum was a warm period that occurred between 9,000 and 5,000 years ago. This warm period was followed by a gradual cooling period.”

According to Kullman, the temperature spikes were during the Roman and Medieval warming periods “were succeeded by a distinct tree line/temperature dip, broadly corresponding to the Little Ice Age.”

26 Nov 2013 10:36
Wales winter deaths increase by half
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/number-winter-deaths-wales-increases-6341872

The number of excess winter deaths in Wales increased by 50% last year, according to new figures.

Last year saw one of the coldest winters in recent times, with the impact of the cold temperatures taking its toll on many services.

December 13, 2013
http://mashable.com/2013/12/13/snow-egypt-syria-israel/
The worst snowstorm in more than 50 years hit the Middle East, blanketing Cairo, Jerusalem and areas of Syria in white powder. It was the first time in 100 years that Egypt had seen snow.

December 15, 2013
http://www.news.com.au/world/israel-blan...6783373342
Heaviest snow in Israel in 70 years

Jan 3, 2014
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/277421/2/More-ice-on-Lake-Michigan-than-seen-in-decades
MUSKEGON, Mich. (WZZM) -- Lake Michigan water levels hit historical lows last year, but this cold winter may be helping in the Great Lakes' recovery.

According to Environment Canada, the Great Lakes haven't had this much ice so early in the season since the late 1980s.

From a historical perspective, the current ice level is on track to do something we haven't seen in decades: cover most of Lake Michigan. Looking at a NOAA ice coverage map from January of 1977 it looks a lot like the current ice coverage map today, according to WZZM 13 Chief Meteorologist George Lessens, "1977 was one of the coldest winters on record."

January 6, 2014
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140106/chicago/chicago-extreme-cold-temperatures-plunge-chiberia
A temperature of 16 degrees below zero was measured at O'Hare Airport Chicago later in the morning, breaking the record of 14 below zero set twice in 1884 and 1988 on Jan. 6, according to the National Weather Service.  That's colder than the South Pole in Antarctica, where the temperature was recorded at 11 degrees below zero at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station before 8 a.m. It was also colder than Novosibirsk, a city in southwest Siberia, which was 6 degrees below zero, according to the Weather Channel.

January 6, 2014
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/06/us/polar-vortex-explained/
NY governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency ahead of a major winter storm triggered by the “polar vortex,” sweeping into the eastern US. The state could see as much as 36 inches of snow and wind chills as low as 40 degrees below zero.

Having already produced frigid conditions in the Midwest, temperatures down the east coast were set to plunge by as much as 40 degrees. States such as Minnesota, though well acquainted with harsh winter seasons, saw wind chill reach 56 degrees below zero in Duluth, while far to the south in Huntsville, Alabama, the temperature dipped to 14 degrees.

What is a polar vortex? What distinguishes it?

The polar vortex, as it sounds, is circulation of strong, upper-level winds that normally surround the northern pole in a counterclockwise direction -- a polar low-pressure system.  These winds tend to keep the bitter cold air locked in the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is not a single storm. On occasion, this vortex can become distorted and dip much farther south than you would normally find it, allowing cold air to spill southward.

January 07 to 11
http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/cold-wave-in-north-india-delhi-schools-to-be-shut-till-january-11_901950.html
Delhi: Following the worst fog of the last eight years, Delhi government on Monday announced leave for all schools here from January 07 to 11.  Due to fall in the temperature and dense fog today morning, air, road and rail traffic in the national capital was badly effected.

Foggy conditions disrupted normal life in Rajasthan affecting rail and road traffic where vehicles were moving at a snail's pace and some trains running behind the schedule.

Intense cold wave sweeping across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh continued unabated in most parts with mercury dropping to record-breaking minus 2.1 degree Celsius at Hisar.

Fog engulfing the northern region caused delay in premier trains like Rajdhani, Duronto and Shatabdi trains. Rajdhani trains coming from Guwahati, Ranchi, Patna, Howrah, Mumbai and Bhubaneswar ran late by three to five hours. Services of Sealdah Duronto and Kanpur Shatabdi were also affected because of the low visibility due to dense fog.

Leh, in Ladakh region (northern India, "Little Tibet"), recorded a low of minus 7.9 degrees Celsius against the previous night's minus 8.6 degree Celsius.

1/13/14 8:37am
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/this-sea-water-froze-so-fast-that-it-killed-thousands-o-1500143812
Norwegian public radio (Google-translated) reports on the instant death of thousands of fish in a bay in the island of Lovund, Norway. An air temperature of -7.8 C (17.96 F) combined with a strong east wind froze the sea water instantly, trapping and killing the fish.

February 13, 2014 7:31 AM
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/02/13/snow-totals-piling-up-fast/
The amount of snow in the U.S. has increased considerably.
In Phaledipha, a 130-year-old record was shattered. For the first time in the city’s history, there have been four 6+ inch snowfalls or more in season. In addition, they are now in the top 5 snowiest winters of all-time.

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-genghis-khan-tree-rings-20140310,0,4908257.story#axzz2vevo9XK6

In the rings of ancient and gnarled trees, a team of scientists has found evidence of a period of consistent warmth and wetness in Mongolia between the years 1211 and 1225 -- the exact time that Genghis Khan first rose to power.

This unusual stretch of mild temperatures and unprecedented rain in an area traditionally known for its cold and arid climate would have increased the productivity of grasslands in the Mongolian steppe, the researchers say. The abundant grass would in turn increase the number of grazing animals that could live off it.

Members of Khan's army reportedly had five horses apiece, which allowed them to swiftly conquer an enormous area that stretched from eastern Asia to eastern Europe, as well as parts of northern India and the Mideast. They also traveled with a herd of livestock that provided them with food.

http://www.ig.utexas.edu/people/staff/damuth/reprints/arkosic_sands.pdf
The glacial phase of the lower Amazon Basin were marked by cold, dry southerly winds while the South Atlantic trade winds were deflected off the northern coast. A semiarid to arid climate enseud, coupled with a eustatic drop of sea level that caused degredation of principal river valleys near the coast. The onset of glaciation in the Pleistocene reduced energy in the hydrologic cycle leading to less rainfall so that in the tropics at low elevations signs of dessication began to appear nearly everywhere.

By Climate Central
August 12, 2014
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/12/california-has-hottest-start-to-year-while-midwest-chills/

By now, many are familiar with the hot West-cool East divide that’s been a recurring feature for the U.S. since winter. North Pacific Ocean temperatures could be to blame for keeping hot air trapped in the West and driving cold air down from Canada across the eastern half of the country.



While heat was the story in the West, persistent cool weather continues to be the story for the eastern half of the country. The Midwest and Southeast were in the bullseye for a mid-summer’s chill with 12 states stretching from Louisiana to Michigan recording one of their 10-coldest Julys. That includes a record cool July for Indiana and Arkansas.

“The pattern of a warm West and cool East has been a persistent for most of 2014. Very warm sea surface temperatures in the northeast Pacific, off the coast of Alaska, is associated with the pattern of a ridge in the West and a trough in the East,” Jake Crouch, a scientist at NCDC, told Climate Central in late July.

Record Cold Summer Leads To Changing Leaves In August
August 15, 2014
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/08/15/experts-cold-summer-leads-to-changing-leaves-in-august/

PITTSBURGH (KDKA)- Pittsburgh is dealing with one of the coldest summers in history, and it’s having an effect on the trees.

Friday morning temperatures fell into the 40s in Western Pennsylvania.

Meteorologists say these cold temperatures are leading to trees changing colors in the middle of August.

“This is extraordinary for August, and certainly is a reflection of the prevalence of cool weather,” KDKA Meteorologist Dennis Bowman said.

Right now Pittsburgh is on pace for the 9th coldest summer since record keeping began in 1871.

The Polar Vortex pattern that we saw in January, also caused cold temperatures in July.

“There has been a frequency of cold fronts this summer, and the weather for June, July, and August has been substantially below normal,” Bowman said.