If it's not snowing, it's burning

[golok]

I am slightly puzzled by what is going on around the world. In parts of Europe and America, a desperately cold wind has set in. Over in Australia, fires are raging in Canberra, destroying houses and eliminating residents.

Metereologically, what is going on? Years ago, we were bombarded with reports of El Nino on the rampage. But that's history.
What Nino or Nina is it this time?

Even the sun seems to be hotter than usual in Malaysia. The heat is intense. When it's cold, it bites.

Tragically, the older folks are dying as a result of such wild fluctuations in weather conditions.

Any weather experts who would like to shed some light on this global phenomenon?

 

[coyotlviejo]

Personally I believe it is fulfillment of prophecy.

 

[Alberta Ed]

We have always had weather extremes, so that's nothing new. For an excellent independent view on weather/climate issues, read Taken by Storm, The Troubled Science, Policy and Politics of Global Warming, by Christopher Essex and Ross McKitrick (ISBN 1-55263-212-1). Essex is a professor of applied mathematics specializing in the underlying computation of complex dynamic processes such as climate, and McKitrick specializes in the application of economic analysis to eenvironmental policy design and climate change. (see www.takenbystorm.info).

 

[ajrand]

Ed, Essex and McKitrick have produced an interesting piece of work. The vast majority of the worlds scientific community (by vast majority, I mean darn near every other scientist on Earth) disagree with them. It is an effective way for them to attract attention and money from those interested in preserving the status quo for whatever reason. They are entitled to make their case as best they can, and I hope it stimulates healthy scientific debate.

On the other hand, we, as a species, simply can not afford to take the chance that the global warming hypothesis is incorrect even if we deem it unlikely. The stakes are simply too high. In spite of Luddite arguments to the contrary, the evidence that global warming is occuring and that it is by and large driven by human endeavor is too strong for us to continue to bury our heads in the sand. Environmental changes, once set in motion, are difficult to steer, and cannot be easily undone. Better to err on the side of caution when the health of the entire biosphere, and perhaps humankinds very survival is at stake.