Our local meteorologist has noted that the weather is getting odd. Worth nothing as both he and I are calm, logic based individuals...Worth noting as a possible start of a trend.

'Odd' and 'trend'... a new oxymoron?

But I agree that the weather seems to be getting increasingly erratic all over the world.

Sue

Worth noting: global climate change.

Worth noting: Global climate is always changing.

More seriously - around here the weather is kind of reminding me of the weather I remember back in the 70's. Makes some sense since things have actually been pretty atypical for the last 10 or so years based on the historical records.

- Eric

Anecdotally, I'd have to agree. I know from a lot of college classes that there are always micro- and macro-fluctuations in climate (ice ages, mini ice ages, central Iraq once being fertile and now less so, ditto the Nile delta, middle America used to be an inland sea, etc).

A lot of folks my age remember "more snow" as kids. I don't know if it was truly more, or if smaller bodies remember it being "higher."

Is it really getting more random, or just more media coverage of it? Kind of a self-licking ice cream cone effect.

I think we are more aware of the la nina/el nino oscillations and the part they play with North American weather....cooler la nina currents decrease the wind shear in upper atmosphere, so most of the tropical storms come farther west before turning north.. not good if you live on the west coast of Fla...the Gulf of Mexico can add a lot of heat to drive the storm upward...a lot of cumulonimbus have been forming over the Gulf recently

Global warming is, because extreme weather is a way for the system to equalize energy differences, going to experiences less as thing being a bit warmer and more as things being a whole lot weirder. Heat energy on the other side of the globe can bubble up and displace polar cold air. Causing it to slide south out of season. If this meets up with warm moist air coming off the much hotter gulf of Mexico we end up with cyclonic blizzards and massive storms in the east and northeast.

In one case the cyclonic action was so strong it became withing a few miles an hour sustained wind speed to be called a hurricane. A near hurricane that started over the Appalachian mountains and moved NE. Authorities scrambled to get campers and hikers out of the way, rescue those caught and things were touch-and-go for several groups.

The extra energy in the system is driving both cold and hot air masses to places they don't usually go. When they meet each other you get storms of highly unusual power.

I really think that Anthropogenic Global Warming, AGW, is the only logical conclusion because it is backed up by the preponderance of the evidence and the vast majority of scientific community with the people most actively involved and specialized in the specific area of study almost all in agreement. But manufactured debate, IMO there is no debate, only an assertion of fact running up against a rear-guard action on the part of the status quo, doesn't change anything.

Things are changing, changing fast, in unpredictable ways, and everyone is going to have to deal with it. The bottom line is that someone sped up the kiddie ride we have previously known as the weather. This teacup ride is no longer a suitable diversion for young children and pregnant mothers. The kiddie ride has become a monster without the safety belts and helpful smiling attendants.

Buckle up boys and girls we are in for a rough ride.

I fear this trends toward the political "Line of Death" so I'll try to toe the line and understand if the sheriff needs to weigh in.

I'll start this little tightrope walk by annoying most people and refusing to take a side on AGW.

Instead, I'll point out two facts, one about the earth and the other about the nature of the science involved.

The historical record indicates the earth has been much, much warmer in the past. My very limited understanding of climatology is that our recent (well geologically speaking recent) cool period is a bit unusual (in many ways).

Climatologists try to represent a nearly unfathomably complex system (the earth) by taking a statistically insignificant data sample and tailoring a grossly simplified set of mathematical equations (relative to the real system) using a few (again, relative to reality) independent variables to match the curves in our known data set. The iterative nature of these models makes them very, very sensitive to minor changes in initial conditions and the "weightings" and relationships assigned by the team running the study.

These models are no where near the complexity level of the real thing and many of the scientific principles being modeled (i.e the specific interactions) are not as well understood as something simpler like say mechanical stress and strain (where the models don't always match reality).

I am not a climatologist or a scientist. I am an engineer and I have spent most of my career working with mathematical representations of reality and statistical analysis. Models are great tools, they are not reality and can only be trusted in the regions where they can be compared to actual test results. By definition every model is wrong but occasionally some are useful.

I suspect the ultimate answer on climate comes close to matching the stereotypical view on midwestern weather - wait a while, its sure to change.

And now to slowly step away from the third rail....

-Eric

I live in a area the has been heavily glaciated on multiple occasions. This is irrefutable fact. The rock scrapings, silt and gravel deposits, and glacial erratics, eskers, and moraines are everywhere to be seen.

Nine thousand years ago, long before SUV's, pseudo-science, spray deoderants, and politicians, the last big glaciers in my state melted. Since the glaciers have not yet returned, simple logic dictates that we have been in a warming trend for ....nine thousand years.

Someday the glaciers will return, not by cold winters, but by cold summers in the snowfields of the Hudson Bay area. Politicians will stand and point across the aisle, scientists will grovel for grants, and lackeys will nod and murmer in agreement with their masters.

Mother Nature will ignore them all, and do what she has always done.

I don't know what's causing it, but it is strange.

I live just outside of NYC. In the last five years, I can currently recall at least three tornados touching down in the area. In the previous 35, I can recall one.

I was out surfing without a wetsuit this weekend. The water is a good 10 degrees warmer than normal. Does not bode well for hurricane season this year. . .

I have a lot to say about the notion of AGW, but ultimately it is irrelevant.

The climate has changed, is changing and will change, for a multitude of reasons. It will be good for some things in some places and bad for others in other places. Religiously unplugging your cellphone charger isn't going to stop it, even if it makes you feel better.

I suggest you plan on adapting.

I've been quiet about this too long. Save energy for the sake of saving energy. Keep your environment clean so you can have a clean place to live. Take the global climate change out of the equation.

Jeanette Isabelle

As far as global warming/climate change, I tend to agree with Eric. The climate of our planet is a massively complex system. To be able to accurately model the climate, we also have to accurately model everything that affects the climate. Not to mention we have historical records for what, 100 years or so? The rest of our records are deduced from ice core data. Take all that into consideration, and it seems rather presumptuous to think that we can accurately model the climate for the future.
We have a hard enough time making weather models that can predict the weather 1 week ahead of time (most of our predictions are made by taking a bunch of weather models and averaging out the results).

That being said, nothing seems too weird here(SC). Last 2 winters were pretty cold, but its happened before. Summer is always hot. Everyone always complains there isn't enough rain (seems to have more to do with el nino/la nina than anything).

Weather has always been erratic and unpredictable -- this is worth noting because very boring people are starting to note how weird its getting...

I agree with about 95% of this:

http://scienceblogs.com/gregladen/2011/06/why_is_anthropogenic_global_wa.php

What the 5% is I don't agree with, and why, the why being more important than the what, I will leave for you to figure out. The Real Climate link is good for real, fact and evidence based, scientific, as opposed to making up stuff that will end up where you wan to go, knowledge. It is complicated, but the basics are very simple.

This is a test of us as a species. How we handle this, or fail to handle it will tell us if we are a mature species, capable of living within its means and cleaning up after itself, or still children who can't muster the grit and attention span to balance an ecological checkbook. No worries, if we don't do it the planet will balance things out for us in its own bloody and heartless way through famine, war and pestilence.

Honestly, Art, when I think about how politicians go about "averting disaster", I think I'll take my chances with the wrath of mother nature. At least she only deals in reality.

The alternative to "famine, war and pestilence" is us voting for government-run famine, war and pestilence. Let evolution take its course, I'm feeling fit today.

All we can really do about the weather is prepare for it, or try to dodge it. But Mother Nature does seem to enjoy her little jokes.

Sue

Okay, two votes for wait for the lady to change our diapers for us... figures.

Now there's a concept I can agree with you on...Anthropogenic dirty diapers.

Snow here in the 70's & early 80's was measured in multiple inches (3-6+) where now we usually get an inch or less unless you count the grass under it.