Heatwave 2009 and Global Warming: Any Connection?…Not Really
July 31st, 2009 by Matthew Leach
**POLL: Do You Believe Global Warming is a Big Concern? Vote on the right hand sidebar**
Doesn’t it feel great outside today? I woke up to my house at 73 degrees…about 20 degrees cooler than it was yesterday evening. And don’t worry…we aren’t pegged to reach anywhere near the temperatures we’ve experinced this past week anytime soon.
I saw just a few comments on local stories across the area that covered the heatwave look something like this: “is there any connection between this heatwave and global warming?” Interesting thought, though I don’t think we could flat out blame this heatwave on global warming. It is interesting to note, however, that no other year since records were kept at Sea-Tac (which started in 1897, by the way) did temperatures exceed 100 degrees (of course, when Sea-Tac hit 100 degrees in the summers of 1994, 1977 and 1941, other areas across the western part of our state did exeed 100).
Here’s one thing to consider: Sea-Tac hit 100 degrees 3 times before July 29th, 2009, two of which happened during a period of no alarming global warming trend, and even a scare of global cooling (my parents definitley remember the global cooling scare of the 70s).
Another thing to think about is this: we’ve been under a global warming alert for quite sometime now. Since 1998-2008, 6 out of the 10 summers we’ve had here have been either cooler than normal or much cooler than normal, with the other 4 warmer than normal. In 10 years we haven’t had a “normal” summer, though some of the warmer than normal years were at least close to normal.
The heatwave we just experienced was the result of a mammoth dome of high pressure that narrowly extended from the west coast up through B.C. and into Alaska (Barrow, AK even reported temperatures in the 70s! Typically they’re in the 40s and 50s) Oddly enough, this dome of high pressure didn’t affect the Eastern portions of the West Coast much at all. It was almost as if this heatwave was deliberately directed at us so as to break some long time records, ignoring areas that are commonly this hot all the time like Eastern WA and OR.
If the west coast were the center of the universe we could easily say this is a sign of further warming of this globe…but remember…we have neighbors in the midwest and east coast who have been experiencing a much cooler and wetter than normal summer. Look at this July temperature map (through the 24th):
The red/orange colors are warmer than normal, white is normal and the blueish colors are cooler than normal temperatures. Now, this map doesn’t illustrate our heatwave because it is only up to the 24th right now, but you can clearly see the western third of the country has been above normal while the eastern 2/3 of the country have been below to much below normal. Try selling the “global warming is accelerating!” phrase to them!
But this brings up another point: I don’t think this is solely one thing—global warming or cooling, which is why I prefer the term “climate change” over the alternative(s). As many of you have noticed, the past 3 or 4 years have brought very extreme/historic/anomalous weather to not only the Pacific Northwest but also to many areas around the world from droughts to flooding to snowstorms to heatwaves to biting cold to hurricanes. It is undeniable that natural disasters have certainly been on the upswing.
Obviously something meteorologically and astronomically unstable is going on within our Earth, but one thing is for certain: more extremes are likely to continue to occur throughout the world until something is ironed out. What that something is I don’t think anyone knows quite yet.
This actually brings up an interesting discussion about thoughts concerning the upcoming fall/winter for the Pacific Northwest. Let’s just say I’m not alone in the belief that we could be in for another extreme season.
What are your thoughts? I’m sure there are those of you out there who know a lot more about the climate than I do. It’d be interesting to get your perspective.
Have a great day and enjoy the much cooler weather!
Matthew Leach
Forecasting Kitsap
7 DAY FORECAST
Loading ...
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
August 1st, 2009 at 7:39 am
It is true that we cannot pin a single year on global warming. However, as there is a clear trend in warming over the last 30 years, we should not be surprised if global average temperatures are high again for 2009.
Concerning global cooling:
http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0477/89/9/pdf/i1520-0477-89-9-1325.pdf
April 27th, 2011 at 9:01 am
Enjoyed reading this, very good stuff, thanks .
April 27th, 2011 at 9:06 am
I believe this really is excellent information. Most of men and women will concur with you and I ought to thank you about it.
April 27th, 2011 at 9:10 am
I so enjoyed every bit of this site and I’ve bookmarked your blog to keep up with the new topics you will post in the future.
April 27th, 2011 at 9:14 am
What are some good blog about writing sites!
July 18th, 2011 at 6:24 pm
it is very good,i love it very much.
July 19th, 2011 at 2:21 am
These information helps me consider some useful things, keep up the good work.
http://www.nfljerseysmalls.com
July 24th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks http://www.airmaxesvip.com
July 31st, 2011 at 9:00 pm
How lengthy have you been running a blog for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is fantasticook easy. The overall look of your web s5ite is fantast
August 26th, 2011 at 6:17 pm
Wholeslae mac cosmetics,mac comestics,mac makeups ,top quality,fast delivery.
September 14th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Nice post. I learn one thing more difficult on different blogs everyday.
September 17th, 2011 at 2:05 am
lijing1821839896@gmail.com
October 6th, 2011 at 1:26 am
Your essay is good, I like it very much. Here I would like to share with you some things :
Cheap UGG Boots
October 10th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Thanks for the next few paragraphs. Consequently most of I’ll suggest. Everyone pretty much definitely sometimes make this website straight into a present-day. You actually evidently really know what you’re up to, that you have coated countless bottoms.Thanks a lot!
October 11th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
Winter sheepskin boots may be cleaned by hand or machine, in chilly or cozy consuming consuming water developing standby time using the produced from wool developing your washer. Double rinse best after which it spin dry. For arms washing, soak your favourite Aussie sheepskin shoes for almost any handful of mins best after which it squeeze by hand, nevertheless don’t expand the skin.
uggs on clearance
October 12th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
This is a good article, Please visit , welcome to my site!Looking for this information, whichomen will concur with you and I ought to thank you about it
October 12th, 2011 at 11:26 pm
ys to read your artical.Nice one, there is actually some good points on this blog some of my readers may find this useful, I must send a link, many thanks.
October 20th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
People should be out on the wisdom of excluded, the moral should be innocent, the body should be clean
October 21st, 2011 at 7:33 pm
I needed to decrease that you simply punctual notice expressing my very own thank you. Fixing and repairing stuff been recently following on from the website to get a thirty day period or possibly even longer and have absolutely selected quite a number of reliable information in addition to appreciated the manner in which you may have methodized your internet site.
November 17th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
I very much agree with your thoughtpe that more could write such a good word!
December 1st, 2011 at 10:03 pm
discount ugg boots
discount uggs boots
discounted ugg boots
December 23rd, 2011 at 5:19 pm
thanks for sharing this,I like it
February 6th, 2012 at 7:35 pm
[url=http://www.baidu.com/] baidu[/url]
baidu
[link=http://www.baidu.com/]baidu[/link]
February 7th, 2012 at 12:07 am
Sac à main Mulberry Sac Mulberry Pas Cher
February 7th, 2012 at 12:08 am
Mulberry and Sac Mulberry
March 13th, 2012 at 12:28 am
Now the Rock Racing team has exhausted its options to race professionally in 2010,cannondale cycling jersey leaving its contracted riders without
a place to ride in a season that’s already begun. VeloNation spoke to Ball about the situation,
March 20th, 2012 at 12:54 am
designer formative handbags that cede help you win compliments also envious looks.
March 20th, 2012 at 2:22 am
They care and emblematize banal adumbrate others of the matched or a contrary color, whereas a additional electrifying pike.