It’s supposed to be spring, not Christmas.
It has been a particularly odd time for weather. Whilst we’re experiencing the lowest levels of rainfall for a long, long while, leading potentially to restrictions on its usage come the summer, the British Isles has been hit by a mountain of snow. What makes this latter point all the more surprising is that we are fast approaching spring (20th March), or if you follow the Met Office, it’s already arrived (1st March).
Although light over here in the more Eastern climbs, it was by far a more serious matter in the more northern and western regions. In Scotland, the blizzards and heavy snow closed airports, rail lines and 300 schools. Even the RAF rescue helicopter sent out was grounded after its rotors froze during a rescue operation.
This freak snow has not only hit the UK. Although likely caused by unrelated weather systems both Japan and the USA have had their own share of problems. During the beginning of the January Japanese soldiers began trying to clear heavy snow in the country’s northern areas after cold weather killed at least 70 people. There’s been heavy snowfall since then, but on Tuesday 10th January some of the worst-hit areas saw Japan’s heaviest snowfall on record, with drifts more than three metres deep.
Records were also broken in the United States. Come the 13th February a huge winter storm brought chaos to the north-east, dumping record-breaking levels of snow and closing airports in Washington and New York. In New York’s Central Park show lay at 68 centimetres in depth, with biting cold winds in excess of 60 miles per hour. The worst since their records began, back in 1969.
Whilst I certainly do not profess to know the ins and outs of the meteorological situation, anomalous weather seems to be on the increase. Perhaps more incentive to decrease our carbon footprints, in both the domestic and commercial sectors? I doubt it. Regardless, my recycling has increased and I make certain to switch off all electrical appliances (such as televisions and lights) when not in use. Little changes make a big difference.
This has never been important than now. While the impressions we are having on global warming and whether it actually exists is still in dispute, we cannot ignore the quickening thaw of the polar ice caps. Glaciers are melting, the ice caps disappearing into the oceans. Sea levels may rise by many metres as a consequence. Indigenous Arctic peoples will find their food stocks gone, while fresh water supplies in Asia and south America will disappear as the glaciers which provide them melt away; penguins, polar bears and seals will find their habitats gone, their traditional lives unliveable.
Writing in the journal Science, researchers have concluded that the continent is losing 152 cubic kilometres of ice each year. This loss of ice equates to an annual rise in the global average sea level of 0.4mm.
I cannot help but feel that people in power (government and businesses alike) will only do anything when it’s already too late. Moves are being made now, but they are slow, small, and held up by excessive indolence and bureaucracy.
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2 Responses to “It’s supposed to be spring, not Christmas.”
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Now come on CK, a man with your intelligence should surely know not EVER to comment on the weather? It’s been some of the finest scientists downfall! Not that i’m an expert mind. But look at the weather recently in old blighty! I think we’ve had more than enough rainfall, It seems to have shut the media up about droughts anyway!!! I can’t help thinking that the weather always seems to ballance itself out. I think this maybe the reason why scientists are still arguing over wheather global warming is in fact happening?
You make a good point. I seem to remember a sunny weekend maybe a fortnight ago, and lots of rain there after.
However, although it does appear that the weather is sorting itself out, it should certainly be noted that it’s occurred later than is usual. This is certainly, in my mind, just one physical avocation of the global warming crisis. Now, I‚Äôm not one to use that term lightly, but the problems regarding the environment are of great concern to me. Saying that, i am a bit of a hypocrite; i recycle paper, but leave the PC on over night.