Tag: Alaska

Weather Weird

The wind is constantly moving the slushy ice around the lake.

Who would ever think you would wake up to 9 degree temperatures on April 9? It has been a cold two weeks of 20 to 30 degrees below normal! Meteorologist Paul Douglas calls it “Weather Weird!” One theory is that the warm weather in the Arctic and Alaska could be hijacking jet streams causing polar air to move south. I recollect some of this happened during the famous Polar Vortex.

NASA picture of Lake Superior

Yes, it is cold but the days on Lake Superior are sunny and beautiful. Deer are feeding wherever they find open snow-free ground, the eagles are protecting their new babies, and the migrating seagulls and Canadian geese are back. Mourning cloak butterflies are finding sunny muddy patches, and ore boats are again crossing the big lake. All are signals that spring is finally on its way!

April can be the cruelest month, but April can also be one of the best months to be outside. I hope you get outside to experience the changes and new beginnings. Make a daily walk part of your routine. Enjoy!

Everything is Interconnected

970832_10153091136195497_1060532036_nClimate Change in the News1391694_590095197723795_1697668544_n

Everything is interconnected.  Pollution in China affects weather and ocean levels everywhere else on earth.

A year ago was the Super Storm Sandy,  and climate change just won’t go away!  Sandy was the 2nd most expensive storm ever for the United States! Because of the rising oceans, the damage of these storms will just continue to increase.  But this was not the only extreme weather event in the past year –   floods, drought and many forest fires also added expense to tax payers and the cost of insurance. And most important the loss of human lives. It is a reality that we are all paying for extreme weather. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/hurricane-sandy-impact-infographic_n_4171243.html

This is from meteorologist, Paul Douglas in the Startribune on 11-3-13 :

It is a fact that the growing season in Minnesota is 2 weeks longer than it was just a few years ago.  “It is what we don’t know that makes scientists nervous. The unknown unknowns.  The Arctic is warmer than any time in the last 120,000 years – the Pacific Ocean is warming faster than any time in the last 10,000 years. Everything is connected, How will this impact us?  Great question.  Climate volatility is favoring all-weather now.”

In Alaska, October also has set records for warmth and rain instead of snow:

http://www.climatecentral.org/news/alaska-roasts-during-october-reigniting-wildfire-16678

Some scientists are worried that climate change is going to affect our food supply in the future:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/climate-change-threatens-world-food-supply-panel-warns/article15230594/

And yes, pollution is harmful to us all:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/11/an-8-year-old-girls-lung-cancer-is-attributed-to-air-pollution.html