tagged w/ snowfall
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This winter has been unusually warm, crippling ski resorts, ruining holiday traditions, and dashing hopes of a white Christmas across the northern hemisphere. While the billions of tons of greenhouse pollution in our atmosphere sometimes encourage freak snowstorms, the primary effect of global warming on winter is, well, warmer temperatures — making white Christmases less likely. Temperature increases in some regions were off the charts in November, with northern Norway about 10°F warmer than average. In Finland, snow has been replaced by rain, killing World Cup and European Cup ski races, hurting retail sales, and adding to the gloom people feel from the long winter dark. This “black Christmas” shows the “footprint of global warming“:
Helsinki is experiencing uncharacteristically mild December temperatures, and only light dustings of snow have come and gone. “At the beginning of December it was on average six degrees warmer than is usual for this time of year,” meteorologist Pauli Jokinen told AFP. He said the snow’s no-show in the south of the country this year was partly due to natural variations, but also a footprint of global warming. “You can’t put a single season down to climate change, but we have seen that climate change has lifted the baseline temperatures,” he explained.
In Indiana, golf courses are still open while ski resorts remain shuttered. From the Pyrenees to the Balkans, ski resorts in the Alps have not only failed to receive natural snow, it’s been too warm to make any. “Virginia ski resorts are watching their assets melt away.” The December season has been a wash for the $1 billion New Hampshire ski resort industry. “Skiing is all right, if you consider the rain and everything,” one Massachusetts skier said of resorts’ efforts to make snow amid spring-like weather.
“Most Canadians will not wake up to a white Christmas on December 25 for the first time since Canada’s weather office began recording snowfalls in 1955,” AFP reports.
Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips told AFP “he has never seen so little snowpack in Canada’s cities.”
Because of global warming pollution from burning fossil fuels, winters are generally becoming milder, wetter, and starting later, making the promise of a white Christmas more of a dream.
By Brad Johnson on Dec 23, 2011 at 1:11 pmThis winter has been unusually warm, crippling ski resorts, ruining holiday... more
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For seven people in the United Kingdom their snow day transcended all of their wildest dreams. While drinking at the Lion Inn this past November, snowdrifts blanketed the roads, doors, and windows of the North Yorkshire bar and inn, trapping five staff members and two patrons for eight days. What ensued must have been the most enjoyable involuntary vacation ever taken...
Read on for more savory adventures:
http://drinkphilly.com/articles/read/295For seven people in the United Kingdom their snow day transcended all of their wildest... more
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Beijing was buried under snow a few days ago when a massive snowstorm hit the Chinese capital. It's still incredibly cold there (Beijing today hit a 40 year record on its minimum temperature), but we've got some beautiful pictures to warm your heart. From the blog ChinaSMACK.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="560" caption="The Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tian’anmen) after a snowfall - ChinaSMACK"][/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="560" caption="The Forbidden City in the snow - ChinaSMACK"][/caption]
From CCTV - which has set up a whole special report section for the snowstorm.
Mariana van Zeller from Vanguard is in China right now and said on Twitter: "The first snowfall of the new year here in Beijing. China has the potential for 1.3 billion snow angels." She looks cold.
Anyone else out there in China have some pictures? Post them in the comments. Likewise, if you think the Beijing snow doesn't hold a candle to your local snowfall - send us those.
Recently on the Current News Blog:
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- 2010: Same sh*t, different year? - Real RecoveryBeijing was buried under snow a few days ago when a massive snowstorm hit the Chinese... more
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During the Beijing Olympics, the People's Republic of China gave a lot of clout to a new government agency: the weather modification office. Apparently, they're still at work: kicking up an early snowfall for drought-ridden Beijing.
Man Makes it Snow in Beijing (Video)
This year's snow came two months earlier than last year, and a lot heavier, thanks to silver iodide rockets shot into the clouds. (I'm not kidding.)
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A quick moving mid level shortwave trough managed to squeeze out a tenth of an inch of snowfall in Jackson with a dusting to a half inch of snowfall just south of Jackson early Wednesday morning.A quick moving mid level shortwave trough managed to squeeze out a tenth of an inch of... more
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As second blizzard hit America's East Coast today for the second time in a week, Washington and several cities in the region set a record since 1899 for snowfall; forcing people to stay home from school and jobs.As second blizzard hit America's East Coast today for the second time in a week,... more
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Boston weatherman Pete Bouchard used an interesting way to describe the expected snowfall earlier this week by comparing it to his own size.Boston weatherman Pete Bouchard used an interesting way to describe the expected... more
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From the News Blog: http://blogs.current.com/news/2010/01/06/chinas-record-snowfall-photos/
Beijing was buried under snow a few days ago when a massive snowstorm hit the Chinese capital. It's still incredibly cold there (Beijing today hit a 40 year record on its minimum temperature), but we've got some beautiful pictures to warm your heart.
Anyone out there in China have some pictures? Post them in the comments. Likewise, if you think the Beijing snow doesn't hold a candle to your local snowfall - send us those.From the News Blog:... more
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