http://www.climateoutcome.kiwi.nz/blog.html

Increase in Speed of Southern Ocean

25/1/2017

Recent analysis has revealed that the Southern Ocean has increased its speed by 30% in recent years and this will serious consequences for us all.
It means that the climate models will be underestimating the rate of melting to the ice in Antarctica and the strength of the wind in places like New Zealand will have a higher proportion of strong Westerlies.
This year in particular New Zealand has had a succession of strong westerly winds which has brought flooding to the west coast but also drought to the populated areas in the east.
The technical reasons for the drought are dealt with here. http://www.climateoutcome.kiwi.nz/drought.html
The report on the original research is here.
https://eos.org/research-spotlights/notorious-ocean-current-is-far-stronger-than-previously-thought#.WIbgaF8rGdU.twitter

4 Comments

Dennis Janicek link

29/1/2017 01:10:29 pm

*Global Warming and Clouds*
#global_warming #küresel_ısınma #clouds #bulutlar #kuşak_haber #scripps_ınstitution_of_oceanography #rosenstiel_school_of_marine_and_atmospheric_science

Bob,

In your article on «Drought», you can consider that the cloud patterns are moving poleward. This has been has been seen from satellite imagery and seeing is believing. I have put this on Google+:

https://plus.google.com/109826290307918810462/posts/VjjkMVT3dfep

As reported in Kuşak Haber (of Turkey), theory global distribution of clouds and character of clouds have changed. There is a poleward expansion of the subtropical dry zone of satellite imagery. The clouds remaining the area change from the low-level stratiform clouds (low-level flat-form clouds), which currently shield the earth from the sun’s radiation to higher and less dense types.

Küresel Isınmayla Birlikte, Bulutlar da Karakter, Dağıtım, Jul-2016
(Global Warming and the Character and Distribution of Clouds)
http://www.kusakhaber.com/magazin/kuresel-isinmayla-birlikte-bulutlar-da-karakter-dagitim-6124.html

I found these references:

Clouds Are Moving Higher, Subtropical Dry Zones Expanding, According to Satellite Analysis
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Jul-2009
https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/clouds-are-moving-higher-subtropical-dry-zones-expanding-according-satellite-analysis

Consulting With Clouds: A Clear Role in Climate Change [ie, cloudiness reduced]
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS), Jul-2009
http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/pressreleases/20090723-clouds.html

RSMAS looked at two sets of data. One set consisted of collected visual observations from ships over the last 50 years, and the other was based on data collected from weather satellites. «The agreement we found between the surface-based observations and the satellite data was almost shocking», said [Amy Clement, RSMAS], professor of meteorology and physical oceanography at the University of Miami, and winner of the American Geophysical Union's 2007 Macelwane Award for her groundbreaking work on climate change. «These are subtle changes that take place over decades. It is extremely encouraging that a satellite passing miles above the earth would document the same thing as sailors looking up at a cloudy sky from the deck of a ship.»

I speculate that this is why Syria, Lebanon and Israel have the worst drought in 900 years. The clouds have simply moved northward – leaving the Sahara climate in its place.

Bob Bingham

30/1/2017 11:17:45 am

Dennis that is a good point about the clouds as in my website I was more concerned with the Hadley cell extending to include Northland (where I live) within the tropical region and we may be subject to tropical storms. We get them occasionally and have experienced 600 mm of rain in 24 hours which causes a lot of damage.
The mediterranean region is certainly going to be more like a desert and this would also be true for places like texas and the mid west which will bring big challenges for food production.

Dennis Janicek link

31/1/2017 03:48:22 pm

The North Island of New Zealand might be too north to be affected by the poleward shift of cloud patterns (thanks be to God). However, that will affect the mediterranean region and places like Mexico, Texas, California and the US Midwest and will bring big challenges for food production. However, you could include China and places like South America and Africa. This presents an international security risk to New Zealand and who knows what foreign entanglements and adverse economic effects could result.

Unfortunately, we in the world are using the same atmosphere and the «Tragedy of the Common Pasture» was one problem we never solved. (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons).

Bob Bingham

31/1/2017 03:58:27 pm

Dennis I get your point about the wide number of countries expected to suffer from climate change. For most people in the more stable countries the main disruption to their lives will be the mass movement of people. Rising sea levels will displace 250 million people, food shortages will displace millions more and drought and floods will also add to the total. Its not easy to forecast which event will happen first.

Bob Bingham Blog page.

Increase in Speed of Southern Ocean

Leave a Reply.

Bob Bingham

Archives

Categories