Arctic amplification decreases temperature variance in northern mid- to high-latitudes

Temperatures have increased about twice as fast in the Arctic as in the mid-latitudes, a phenomenon known as the Arctic amplification.

The idea that there was a link between this phenomenon and extreme weather conditions became prevalent during the severe winter weather in the United States and European countries in 2014.

However, Dr James Screen from the University of Exeter, UK, has shown that the Arctic amplification has actually reduced the risk of cold extremes across large swathes of the Northern Hemisphere.

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Interesting new study in the journal Nature, rejecting the theory that climate change will cause cold winters to continue in the US and Canada. Sounds good to me, was a cold one this past Winter!

At least there is some discussion on the science, rather than the usual stifling of dissent...

a reply to: Chronon

The context of how the science is shaped in that first link is rather bizarre. I trust you understand this in no way points towards climate change being milder than what has been reported in the past.

The interactions go far deeper than what this one professor is talking about. The understandings of these interactions are continuously being updated, but all the data so far points towards accelerating climate change eventually leading to runaway global warming in the near to mid-term.

There have been very few scientists who predicted colder climate extremes for the northern hemisphere. The data seemed to be perfectly clear that many times more record highs were being recorded as the years passed, than record lows, and this trend was likely to continue, and be more lopsided.

This is the latest bit of information I've been trying to absorb surrounding the subject of the changes in the arctic, and it's impacts for the species:

Arctic News

So suddenly a 1 year thing makes a link?? It seems they have really cut back on the evidence as long as it's in their favor.

More junk science

We had frost warnings the other night here, but it only got down to thirty eight at our house. I think they need to examine the evidence better. I know, the UP is not included in their studies because this is Heikki Lunta's home area.

I think the cause is obvious. In Summer and Winter there are cruise liners that go round the Arctic, and they burn coal high in sulphur and soot. Every time a cruise liner comes into port, we have incredible sunrises and sunsets, that range from purples to reds, oranges and yellows as well as the infra-red part of the spectrum. These last all night as the Sun just remains a few degrees below the horizon (at least just below the Arctic circle). Above the Arctic circle, the Sun just rolls all the way round the horizon.

Just in the last two weeks we had a mini heat wave which was enough to have everyone going round in shorts and T-shirts.

Nature is a highly respected, peer reviewed scientific journal. I don't have a subscription, but the abstract describes the study as covering decades of data.

It's not how many scientists predict colder winters, but rather whom, namely Dr John Holdren, president Obama's White House science and technology adviser who said in a video posted on the White House YouTube website:

A growing body of evidence suggests that the kind of extreme cold experienced by the United States is a pattern we can expect to see with increasing frequency as global warming continues.

“I believe the odds are that we can expect as a result of global warming to see more of this pattern of extreme cold.

YouTube

Personally, I believe the low sunspot activity to be playing a role in the colder Winter temperatures as described in this scientific study. But after last Winter's brutality, I'll take any prediction of a warmer Winter I can get.