With a month of Arctic Sea Ice melting to go....

[Junkdrawer]

Gif animation at this link is a must see:

http://neven1.typepad.com/blog/2012/08/peeking-th.html

As Artful Dodger says: We have met the future, it is already here...

Just about every record has been set, again with a month of melting to go. Only good news is that melting usually slows about now as the sun angle lowers.

I don't know who is the official keeper of the adjective "essentially" in regards to Arctic ice, but for my money, the Arctic will be essentially ice free this year. And that will mean that the jet stream nudges North with higher amplitudes and more persistent weather patterns.

Meteorology nerds can watch this scientific presentation from last winter:

16 min. Version:

http://climatestate.com/pure-climate-science/item/arctic-amplification-and-extreme-weather.html

Full 1:34 presentation:

http://climatestate.com/pure-climate-science/item/lesson-arctic-sea-ice-decline.html?category_id=47

[redqueen]

1. K&R

[Junkdrawer]

2. The technical term for this is: Deep Shit

As in "We are in Deep Shit NOW."

Not our children, not our grandchildren. Us. Now.

You may now resume your nihilistic, techno-toy party. But party hearty. The party will be over. Soon.

[leeroysphitz]

3. Could you provide a brief explanation for non meteorology geeks about the changes to the jet stream?

[Junkdrawer]

4. I never studied meteorology at her target audience level, but my takeaway....

is that the jet stream moves North, has larger troughs and slows WAY down.

jet stream moves North = the process of Southwest desertification speeds up.

larger troughs = hotter weather at northern latitudes, colder weather south from time-to-time

slows WAY down = when you get dry spells, they become droughts. When you get wet spells, they become floods.

[leeroysphitz]

5. thx

[Junkdrawer]

6. Kick