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Post by Phalon on Jan 13, 2013 8:10:50 GMT -6
Siren! Stepper! Good to see you again; I've missed you both. Same here, Siren. Nearly everyone I talk to expresses some amount of alarm about the possible effects of the weird weather (yesterday it reached sixty degrees). I also think there are natural cycles that affect the climate. At the same time, I believe that we must take responsibility for a great deal of global climate change. Like the Dust Bowl of the 30s, it's a combination of the two things, I believe. We continue to strip the earth of much of its natural vegetation, we mine, off-shore drill, pollute, frack, and expect it will have no ill-effects on the earth? It's like our bodies - treat them like cr@p and eventually our health is gonna deteriorate. Speaking of weird weather, I hope Katina is somehow keeping cool in the extreme heat Australia is experiencing, and keeping out of harm's way of the wildfires and dust clouds. I think I would have freaked if I saw that red wave of dust coming toward me! www.nydailynews.com/news/world/freak-red-dust-storm-hits-australia-article-1.1238355
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Post by stepper on Jan 13, 2013 14:22:32 GMT -6
I was wondering about Kat too. It's so hot they had to add a color to the hot side of the scale to graphically represent the temperatures. Ouch! I suspect that’s extremely hard on the wildlife too – especially the Koala’s. My aunt loved Koala’s.
Winter has been a bit on the warm side here – but not consistently. We’ve had days were it was overly warm for winter – enough so that I had the A/C on yesterday. The weather guessers say it will cool off quickly and we may even have mixed precipitation during the week, but who wants to run the A/C in the winter?
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Post by Phalon on Jan 17, 2013 6:43:28 GMT -6
A lot of people here winter elsewhere; many go to Florida, Arizona, or some other warm state.
BP has decided we need to leave Michigan for the winter too, and has given serious thought as to where the perfect place would be. She wants us all to live during the colder months in Minnesota where they have real winters....like the ones we used to have.
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Post by stepper on Jan 17, 2013 16:56:45 GMT -6
"real winters....like the ones we used to have. " - interesting thought. I remeber the ice house - they'd go to the lake and saw blocks of ice and then store them for the summer. It was non-potable of course, but they used to be able to do this. Now the ice never gets thick enough for that. We've used technology to make it unnecessary - but that's not the point. It doesn't get as cold as it used to get, and it doesn't stay cold as long as it used to.
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Post by Spock on Jan 17, 2013 21:04:09 GMT -6
... It doesn't get as cold as it used to get, and it doesn't stay cold as long as it used to. It's all that hot air coming out of Washington D.C. ... and other similar places.
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Post by stepper on Jan 18, 2013 19:22:14 GMT -6
I'm sure you're right. It's a bit like a heat island effect.
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Post by scamp on Jan 20, 2013 2:25:32 GMT -6
And now a serious answer. Because the ice sheet exists in Antarctica, we are still in the Quaternary ice age. Within each ice age, the earth cycles through different glacial and interglacial periods. We are in a long interglacial (warmer period) that has cycles of warmer and cooler periods within it called stadials and interstadials. According to some, we should be in a stadial: others suggest we are in a predictable interstadial. In either case there are reasons why we have interstadials. One new theory is global warming: the release of methane and other greenhouse gases that began a couple of thousand years ago as agriculture intensified. This argument is offset by a study of plate tectonics, specifically what happened when the Indian subcontinent hit the Eurasian Plate and produced the Himalayas. These mountains increased earth's total rainfall and therefore the rate at which CO2 is washed out of the atmosphere, decreasing the greenhouse effect. The impact of global warming, therefore, is very difficult to measure. And, global warming’s initial impact would be to cause colder temperatures as melting ice cools the ocean’s temperatures. So the effects of global warming are still in doubt. Another theory rests on the cyclic increase in solar insolation coupled with the cyclic shift in the earth’s tilt off axis (it varies from 22° and 24.5°). Problem here is that no-one has been able to determine the length of either cycle. Perhaps the most cogent theory was posited by Otto Pettersson. Pettersson spent decades measuring current tidal forces and also the history of tidal forces. Tidal forces vary in cycles and each cycle varies in the strength of tidal forces. In the years or the centuries of strong tidal forces, unusual quantities of warm Atlantic water press into the Arctic Sea at deep levels, moving in under the ice. Then thousands of square miles of ice that normally remain solidly frozen undergo partial thawing and break up. Drift ice, in extraordinary volume, enters the Labrador Current and is carried southward into the Atlantic. This changes the pattern of surface circulation, which is so intimately related to the winds, the rainfall and the air temperatures. For the drift ice then attacks the Gulf Stream south of Newfoundland and sends it on a more easterly course, deflecting the streams of warm surface water that usually bring a softening effect to the climate as to Greenland, Iceland and Europe. Over Europe, this warmer air renters the easterly jet stream and eventually encircles the north. A similar scene develops in the Southern Hemisphere as the Antarctic ice sheet melts. According to Pettersson, the really catastrophic disturbances of the polar region come only every 18 centuries but there are also rhythmically occurring periods that fall at varying intervals of every 9, 18, or 86 years. These correspond to other tidal cycles. They produce climatic variations of shorter periods and of less drastic nature. It is interesting to calculate where our current situation fits into Pettersson’s scheme. The great tides that marked the close of the Middle Ages, with their accompanying snow and ice, furious winds and inundating floods, are more than five centuries behind us. The era of weakest tidal movements, with a climate as benign as that of the early Middle Ages, is about four centuries ahead. We have therefore begun to move into a period of warmer, milder weather. There will be fluctuations, as the earth and sun and moon move through space and the tidal power waxes and wanes. Nonetheless, by Pettersson’s theory, the long trend is toward a warmer earth. Of course, the long trend may be 9, 18, or 86 years – but the ultimate cycle is heading towards its 1800 year beginning. Only Pettersson’s theory can account for things like solar insolation, the position of the continents and how they block the flow of ocean currents, and the effect of plate movements on the ocean.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 21, 2013 9:00:34 GMT -6
The understanding of science, second to only math - but a very close second, is something that's always escaped me. Interesting stuff, though - thanks for sharing, Scamp.
It's quiet here now; the wind and snow has stopped for the moment. Makes me wonder if it's the quiet before the storm, or if what they're predicting passed us by again. Saturday it was in the high forties; yesterday the highs were in the teens. Three to five inches of snow were predicted; we got maybe an inch. It was snowing pretty hard earlier this morning though, and (another) 3 to 5 is expected. If we get it, or if we don't - either way it's a 'stay inside' day. Brrrrrrr cold out there.
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Post by Siren on Jan 21, 2013 11:53:04 GMT -6
Good to see you too, my friend!
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Post by katina2nd on Jan 21, 2013 19:38:49 GMT -6
The understanding of science, second to only math - but a very close second, is something that's always escaped me. Interesting stuff, though - thanks for sharing, Scamp. Nearly everything escaped me in school Gams, not just maths and science. What you posted is fascinating Scamp, makes pretty heavy reading (well for an idiot like me anyway) but worth the effort for sure.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 22, 2013 7:38:02 GMT -6
Snow Day!!! They're all home - the kids, and Hubs too. It's 8 degrees outside with a wind chill of who-knows-how-low, but I'm pretty sure it's too cold to want to be outside.
Which means I'm pretty sure I will get nothing done today.
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Post by Spock on Jan 22, 2013 12:43:22 GMT -6
... Which means I'm pretty sure I will get nothing done today. Not even the two "C"'s?
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Post by Phalon on Jan 23, 2013 7:13:42 GMT -6
Before I say yes or no, Spock, what exactly are the two Cs? (Almost afraid to read the answer.)
Maybe I can fit them in today? Another snow day....for the kids anyway; Hubs went to work. We got the automated call last night around 11, though they knew much earlier school was cancelled today; stuff spreads like wildfire on Facebook. Called off a bit prematurely, I think - there's just about 6 inches of snow on the ground, I'm guessing, it's stopped blowing, and we're supposed to get back up in the twenties today (high was 10 yesterday). They were off Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, school closed yesterday and today; tomorrow and Friday are scheduled half-days for mid-terms. Sheesh! It's like they've got a week-ling vacation! Our house is, of course, the hotel, and there's no doubt who the maid is.
Hubs got my skis down from the rafters in the garage yesterday. Hoping I'll find some time to use them!
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Post by Spock on Jan 23, 2013 21:29:40 GMT -6
Before I say yes or no, Spock, what exactly are the two Cs? (Almost afraid to read the answer.) ... Why Cuddles and Chocolate of course!
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Post by Phalon on Jan 24, 2013 8:21:46 GMT -6
Ah, cuddles and chocolate. Hot chocolate counts, yes? How about being buried on the couch under four kids who came in from sledding in single digit temperatures and are trying to get warm. Oh, and the dog - she was out trying to sled too. Not the form of cuddling I'd prefer, but it's as close as it got.
More snow - another Snow Day.
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Post by stepper on Jan 24, 2013 17:57:33 GMT -6
You are soooo lucky to have the kids home visiting! And I'm sure they are all taking advantage of the additional study time getting ready for the mids!
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Post by Phalon on Jan 26, 2013 8:08:55 GMT -6
Oh, yes, I'm sure. LX expressed concern about not going to school Tuesday; it was supposed to be their only full day that week, which was reserved as a review day for mid-terms, and she was worried about her AP Calculus class (she is "in over her head", and doesn't understand a thing; she's been getting As in the class all year).
The concern lasted less than a nano-second.
Finally, they went back to school yesterday! Whoo-hoo!!!! I went skiing. Whoo-hoo!!!!
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Post by stepper on Jan 26, 2013 12:37:01 GMT -6
And how's the cemetery? Or did you do more cross country? I heard something about an ice storm up in your area. Is it coming your way? Do you ski on the ice?
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Post by Phalon on Jan 27, 2013 7:42:22 GMT -6
I haven't been to the cemetery in a while; not since my bike was stored for the winter. If I'm going to ski there, it's got to be early, right after a snow, before they salt - skis don't work on salted roads.
It's hard to ski on ice too. I like when there's an icy crust on the snow, or even icy snow. But like driving a vehicle on it, it's not fun to ski on solid ice. Not to mention, it makes an icky sound.
We haven't got any ice yet, though. Last I heard, it was supposed to warm up, start raining, then drop to freezing temperatures again.
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Post by stepper on Jan 27, 2013 9:55:41 GMT -6
That is not a scenario that would be greeted with an abundance of joy down here.
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Post by scamp on Jan 27, 2013 18:45:17 GMT -6
That is not a scenario that would be greeted with an abundance of joy down here. Is there any place that forecast would be greeted with joy? I mean someplace real where such things as super cooled water don't exist. We got freezing rain today, the January thaw with rain Monday and Tuesday, then snow Wednesday with temps around 12 degrees. A late January thaw, bleh! Sorry about the boring post on climate, my best friend is climate historian and she's filled my mind with odd information. scamp
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Post by stepper on Jan 28, 2013 21:10:07 GMT -6
I think we all have bits and pieces of odd information. I suspect your friend would have some surprising things to say about what tree rings tell us.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 29, 2013 5:28:30 GMT -6
Sounds like a duplicate of our weather. We got the freezing rain Sunday afternoon, but things warmed up quickly over night - it was 49 degrees by morning! Caused the snow-packed roads to turn into a slushy, sloppy and icy mess. School was cancelled for Monday. You're right, Scamp - Bleh!!!
It's supposed to reach sixty today...there's absolutely no reason to cancel school. Right?
Nah, not boring at all. Just don't know enough about it to comment other than 'interesting stuff'. If it weren't for odd bits and pieces of information like that, my mind would be quite empty.
Oh, wait....uhm...I think I better get to the filling station pretty d@mned quick.
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Post by stepper on Jan 29, 2013 18:26:16 GMT -6
We've set two records in two days. Record high for the date today, and last evening a record high for the low temp, meaning the low tempt for the day yesterday was higher than any other low temp for that day. So, high low, high low, it's off to records we go......
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Post by Phalon on Jan 30, 2013 5:31:15 GMT -6
OMG, Stepper - what the hell are you trying to do to me?!
Due to the rapid changes in temperatures here,for two days now, I've felt as if I'd be better off without my head being attached - I've got an eye-closing sinus headache with so much pressure, it feels as if my head is going to split in two....
And then this...
That's it. You've done it. I tried to wrap my aching head around what you're saying, but it cracked in half during the process.
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Post by katina2nd on Jan 30, 2013 6:56:48 GMT -6
Dorothea MacKellar's superb poem "My Country" includes this verse ...
I love a sunburnt country, A land of sweeping plains, Of ragged mountain ranges, Of droughts and flooding rains. I love her far horizons, I love her jewel-sea, Her beauty and her terror The wide brown land for me!
She was certainly on the mark, at pesent we have bushfires in some states and devastating flooding in others.
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Post by stepper on Jan 30, 2013 18:50:31 GMT -6
My apoligies Phalon. I was merely saying that the local weather guesser say we set a record with a new high low temperature. I have a preference for low highs, but that's a different matter.
Interesting that you could have all, or most, of those at the same time Kat.
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Post by Phalon on Jan 31, 2013 6:53:35 GMT -6
Beautiful poem, Katina. I've seen bits of footage here and there, and can't imagine being caught up in that - the devastation of it all, not only from a human standpoint, but what it's going to take the land itself to recover. I hope you are well out of harm's way.
Yeah, I got it. I was just all over the place with all those hi-los, and I shouldn't have been operating heavy machinery under the influence of sinus pressure.
My friend rescued me - dragged me off to her gym, and stuck me in the steam-room with eucalyptus oil. A first for me - I've been in saunas (and don't like them), but never in a steam-room. It was kinda cool....and a miracle cure! I've had that damn sinus headache for over a week; it got really bad the last couple of days. I walked out of there pain-free, got home and finished a bunch of stuff that's been languishing while I waited for it to finish itself.
Snow, frigid temperatures, more snow, then ice, slush, and fog.....
But this morning was something new...
"Good Morning, Parents and Guardians. Due to the inability to keep the buildings lighted and heated with the frequent intermittent power-outages, school has been cancelled."
LX (sarcastically): Why doesn't God want us to finish our finals.
Me (sarcastically): Maybe God is giving you time to actually study for your finals.
Or punishing me, I'm thinking.
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Post by stepper on Jan 31, 2013 18:55:36 GMT -6
Cancelled for a potential lack of electricity - I have to admit, that is a new one for me.
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Post by Phalon on Feb 1, 2013 6:26:04 GMT -6
The electricity had been flickering off and on continuously throughout the night - I'm betting it went out at least 20-30 times. I only know this because while I was supposed to be sleeping - wishing I was sleeping - it'd come back on, and startle me wide awake. It's amazing how loud all those electronics resetting themselves when the power comes on can make. I seriously thought about getting out of bed and ripping every cord out of the wall.
Wanna take a guess how many times it flickered off and on after they cancelled school?
Once.
It's been cancelled again for today. (How many days have they actually attended school in the last two weeks? I think maybe 2 1/2?) At least today, there's good reason - it's a snowy, blowy mess out there.
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