<< | If it's hot, it's global warming. If it's cold, it's climate change. If it's both, it's extreme weather. They've got their bases covered.
Another year of fewer hurricanes - I wonder what the pet excuse for that will be.>>
koan: Yes, it is complicated which is why it is silly to think the average person can figure it out better than PHD scientists.
Here are some "scientific answers to your questions:
Hurricanes depend on more than hot water. Last year, the air coming off Africa was dry, as well we had a huge high dry pressure area off the southwest. As well we had wind shear. Hurricanes cannot form if there is too much wind shear, or the air is dry.
And as far as cold winters in the east go, get used to them. Global Warming has slowed and distorted the jet stream by 14% caused by a warming arctic and so it now goes noth south as much as east/west, so where the jet stream used to keep cold air north now it brings it southeast.
And then there is the arctic oscillation:
en.wikipedia.org
"The degree to which Arctic air penetrates into middle latitudes is related to the AO index, which is defined by surface atmospheric pressure patterns. When the AO index is positive, surface pressure is low in the polar region. This helps the middle latitude jet stream to blow strongly and consistently from west to east, thus keeping cold Arctic air locked in the polar region. When the AO index is negative, there tends to be high pressure in the polar region, weaker zonal winds, and greater movement of frigid polar air into middle latitudes." [2
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