I don't know about "Global Cooling"

[Canuckistanian]

I live in Canada, near Ottawa and not so too from Upstate New York.

Except for the first week, this has been the warmest January I've seen. It's hovered around the freezing mark for three days now and our local forecast shows even more above-freezing temperatures for the rest of the weekend and into next week. And usually right about now, our temperatures are around -20C (-4 Fahrenheit).

Here's our local forecast:
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-106_metric_e.html

I know, local temps mean nothing by themselves. But while the rest of you in the middle and southern states are complaining about a "record cold spell", we've been quite comfortable here. These temps would be UNHEARD of when I was growing up 40 years ago.

Overall, I STILL see a decades-long warming trend - from where I live.

[timeforpeace]

1. Last week I was in Houston (33 degrees), Miami (31 degrees) and Grand Cayman (53, lowest ever). Cool

baby, cool.

[Canuckistanian]

5. I know

And snow in some of the southern states.

It must freak them out to drive in it. And I hear they put snowplows on the garbage trucks. Here, our snowplows are technological marvels, able to plow while going 60 mi/Hr while simultaneously sanding or salting the roads.

Not to mention that if you're not used to driving in snow without snow tires, it tends to leave a yellow stain on the driver's seat of the car.

[timeforpeace]

8. Because of you, I call Canada Canuckistan in my Caribbean travels, where many Canadians spend lots

of time and money. More Canadian boats/yachts than US these days by the flags I see. Wonderful, fun and funny folks and plenty of money to spend in those economies.

[Canuckistanian]

12. I'm flattered

But I think you'll be disappointed to know that I took my name from Pat Buchanan.

When I joined, he was using the phrase, "Soviet Canuckistan".

So, I surmised I was a Canuckistanian.

[timeforpeace]

15. Oops. I have now ceased to call it that then.

[Electric Monk]

11. "Global climate destabilization" is the term I prefer.

[Canuckistanian]

13. It makes sense

When you add heat to an already mildly unstable thermal environment - you get MORE destabilization.

And that means MORE unusual rainstorms, MORE sudden snowstorms, MORE freak heatwaves, MORE extended droughts and yes, MORE freak cold spells.

[Hugabear]

2. That's because "global cooling" does not exist. Global Warming is still very much real.

Overall, the average global temperatures are still RISING. However, the climate is a rather complex system, so warmer temperatures in some areas will lead to colder temperatures in other areas. But even though some areas might be experiencing record cold, it doesn't negate the fact that overall, global temperatures are rising. And, as you correctly point out, the deniers conveniently leave out the portions of the globe that are currently experiencing record high temperatures.

[Canuckistanian]

7. Oh, I know

There's a CC denialist meme going around that it's really "Global Cooling", just because of this "cold snap".

I used this term in reponse to a thread of a couple days ago.

[gristy]

3. a week ago there was a post how warm it is in Greenland

The keyword here is "global". If it's colder in one region of the planet, there is almost certainly a corresponding warmup somewhere else. And it doesn't all average out to zero. It averages out to a steady year-by-year increase in temperature. :(

[Canuckistanian]

That's a good description

In fact, one of the best I've seen in terms of an overview.

[amborin]

4. Union of Concerned Scientists on recent cold & snow:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=225661&mesg_id=225730

[iamjoy]

6. Does Temperature Matter?

From a global perspective, that is. When people are suffering in unusually cold or unusually hot weather, that certainly matters but from a global climate change perspective, is average temperature the most important indicator of global climate change? Or, should we be more concerned about retreating glaciers, prolonged drought and how to handle the global water shortage. Rather than debating temperature trends, should we be concerned about that dead zone that appears in the Gulf of Mexico - and gets bigger every summer? Do we need to think about the changes to our oceans - the coral dying and the changes to the saliency as well as the ph of the water?

Or am I just pissy because we just went through a two week spell of Freezing temperatures here in Central Florida (overnight lows in the low 30s/upper 20s is unusually cold for us).

[Canuckistanian]

9. Right, what really matters is the global AVERAGE,

And it keep chugging upwards, little by little, but still only in ONE direction.

Of course, nobody ever mentions the possibility that the record heatwaves and droughts in Australia could cancel out the drop in temperatures here in terms of heat energy.

They only look at their own rather small corner of the globe and make their assumptions based on that.

[csziggy]

10. Here in North Florida, tonight will be the first one in two weeks over freezing

Frigid Weather Has Set New Records in Tallahassee
Residents around the region woke up to sub-freezing temperatures yet again, and this cold snap has helped tie and break some chilly records.
Reporter: Maria Chung

We may only be two weeks into the new year, but 2010 will already go down into the record books. Our recent arctic blast has tied and set several new records. For example, on Thursday morning the thermometer dipped below 32 degrees for 13th day straight at the airport in Tallahassee. This ties the 1966 record of consecutive days below freezing.

There have also been several days when many of us only reached high temperatures in the mid and upper 30s, which is anywhere from 20 to 25 degrees below normal. In fact, on January 9, 2010, the airport in Tallahassee recorded a high of 38 degrees. This ties the lowest daytime high temperature set for that day. The coldest the mercury has fallen in Tallahassee so far this year has been a frigid 14 degrees.
http://www.wctv.tv/news/headlines/81583027.html

[Fla_Democrat]

16. Woo-hoo.....

:woohoo:

I'm damn sure tired of this crap. The old joke of "yea, I think I'll move to Florida next year, I hear it's warm down there" use to get chuckles from the students, now I get... "me too" :smoke:

[csziggy]

18. Hubby and I had joked about moving to Belize since 2004

These days it would not be because of politics, it could be the climate that gets us to move!

The good news is that the two little orange groves my sisters and I own seem to have come through OK. I was sure we were going to have to replant trees, but it doesn't look like we have lost any! :woohoo:

[daleo]

14. It's warm in Edmonton this week

All my ice candles are melting.

[Viking12]

17. 35F in Northern Wisconsin today.

[Wickerman]

19. As the guy from the State Weather Bureau always says

when he is on Minnesota Public Radio:

"People should keep in mind the difference between weather and climate. Weather is what is outside your window this week. Climate is the trend for a region over time."

*Note, I sincerely doubt the agency is the "State Weather Bureau." I don;t know the name of the meteorological org in the state, but trust that he is a local government expert and he IS here to help. :-)