Posted on 06/23/2014 12:04:06 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Sometimes, in response to natural climate patterns, the jet stream becomes abnormally wavy. Such amplified waves have coincided with heat and cold waves, droughts and flooding across the world, according to a study published yesterday in Nature Climate Change.
Take the past winter in North America, for example. The eastern and central United States were plunged into a deep freeze, Alaska was unusually warm and California was dry. Above the continent, the jet stream was indulging in some unusual behavior. Its northward swing was so big that it sucked warmer air right into Alaska, which was positively balmy in the wintertime. Then, the wave turned toward the south with a big swing, bringing Arctic air into the central United States.
Weather watchers have always assumed that the jet stream might account for some weather extremes, but this is the first paper to demonstrate that conclusively.
"I think [the paper] has done a fabulous job of basically documenting a relationship that most people believed existed," said Jennifer Francis, an atmospheric scientist at Rutgers University, who was not affiliated with the new study. "[It] has shown that, indeed, many of the extreme events that have occurred in the past, going back to the late 1970s, are associated with very large waves in the jet stream."
The study is particularly relevant in the context of a controversial hypothesis championed by Francis that the jet stream will get more wavy in the future with climate change.
...
Screen and his colleagues identified 40 extreme weather events, including heat waves, cold temperatures, droughts and heavy rainfall, that occurred since 1979 throughout the world. That date was chosen because satellites began providing quality meteorological data around then.
(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...
Extreme cold weather is just weather caused by the jet stream.
Next we’ll hear that we can straighten out the jet stream by raising taxes, moving into tiny apartments, and riding the bus.
Wavy, dude. Global Wavy!
I cannot wait to hear Joe Bastardi’s saturday weather bell broadcast which will probably cover this.
Francis has suggested that the frequency of the wavy patterns in the jet stream is increasing as the Arctic warms due to climate change. But there is not enough data to prove this hypothesis.
I guess they are still working on a "consensus". Once that is done there no longer be any need for further scientific studies in this area.
Joe B. is the best!
Data? We don't need to show you no steenking data!
Notice they call it an hypothesis, rather than a theory?
Duss the word ‘suggested’ mean any theen to you, Meester Denier!?!
These people are great at explaining what has happened, but useless in predicting what will happen.
Climate change is the norm. The concept of “Static Climate” is the myth.
I used to argue this with the AGW chicken littles. I’d ask them what exactly is the correct temperature, and what, exactly is the correct ocean level, and why, exactly, is warmer worse, and what, exactly, is the correct amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.
It always created a big mess when their heads exploded.
Former USAF and broadcast Meteorologist here. The correlation between the Jet Stream and shifts in weather patterns has been established for decades.
Looks to me like just another waste of funding to keep the anthropogenic climate changers amused and employed for the last couple of years. At the same time keeping the masses on edge about natural climate processes by using a connection that most of us have a glancing understanding of (the jet stream) tied to something that many more don’t believe is occurring (global warming/climate change).
Ahhh, she said. It’s the jet stream. No honey, he said, it’s the differential between warmer and cooler air and the interaction of the oceans on a spherical planet. It’s really all about the SUN.
You know, the thing is, everyone expects the status quo as if we control the thermostat. Very odd behavior. A look over time shows areas of change from forest to desert, blah blah.
What's different now ? Well, other than the profiteers....
One man’s “extreme weather” is another man’s escape from the doldrums.
You beat me to it. Also former USAF weather officer, I learned this basic jet stream truth in 1959 basic meteorology text.
Larry
So now what? More research funds to overcome the effect of the jet stream?
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