Greater Maximum Artic Sea Ice Extent This Winter

Arctic Max Sea Ice Extent Winter 2011-2012 - NASA

OK, not a lot more, but at least not another new record low. So a small optimistic note after yesterday's gloomy posting.

But don't get too optimistic too fast. Quoting the last two paragraphs from the NASA link:

'Meier points out something else about Arctic sea ice extent. “The nine lowest maximum extents have occurred in the last nine years, since 2004,” he says.

Although Arctic sea ice has continued to grow later in the season, the ice has been thin—only about 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches) thick at most, Meier explains. “So it will all melt away very quickly. I don’t expect the late-season growth spurt to have a big effect on sea ice extent next summer.” '

Tipping Points and Irreversible Climate Change

Warning, this is not an optimistic report from Nina Chestney at Reuters. The report is an initial summary of presentations at the "Planet Under Pressure" conference taking place in London.

"Scientific estimates differ but the world's temperature looks set to rise by six degrees Celsius by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are allowed to rise uncontrollably."

The tipping points include loss of Arctic and Antarctic glaciers, loss of Amazon rainforest, and release of millions of tons of carbon currently frozen in Siberian permafrost. 

It is a bleak picture. And it is supported by what is happening right now. See NASA's Global Climate Change Indicators. 

As a footnote, here is the link to Planet Under Pressure.

Cherry Blossoms and Current Warm Weather

Bill, Emily, Sally and Dianne at Cherry Blossom Festival 4/3/11. It was a lot colder last year.

I liked the Washington Post comparison of weather extremes over the past few decades. Bottom line: We are having many more high temp extremes than we used to, and far fewer low temp extremes than we used to.

In a nutshell, probably this is a very good short term indicator of climate change.

NASA and the Current Unusual Warm Weather

I am still getting organized after a great trip to the Andes, but did want to post this amazing temperature imagery of North America for the past week.....unusually warm!!!! From NASA Earth Observatory:

"A huge, lingering ridge of high pressure over the eastern half of the United States brought summer-like temperatures to North America in March 2012. The warm weather shattered records across the central and eastern United States and much of Canada."