Our planet is growing warmer due to human-induced climate change, yet winters are still cold in the Northern Hemisphere. How can this be? Global warming has two surprising sides, one that is warming the planet and one that is cooling it. The climate has become more extreme, leading to extreme weather around the world. Thanks to changes in the circulation of the atmosphere, global warming is affecting the distribution of cold and warm air masses, creating areas of extreme cold and extreme heat.
To understand these dynamics, it is important to recognize that global warming is not an even, universal phenomenon. In some areas, temperatures are rising, while in others, particularly those in the Arctic belt and southern Arctic Ocean, temperatures are dropping. This phenomenon is a result of changes to the Arctic Oscillation, which is a natural phenomenon caused by the variation of air pressure between the Arctic and the mid-latitudes. The Arctic Oscillation affects weather systems and has been linked to cooler temperatures across both the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.
Furthermore, it is currently difficult to distinguish between the influence of climate change and natural patterns in the atmosphere. The fact is that our planet’s average temperature is rising, meaning that events like extreme cold spells, extreme snowfalls or deep freezes could merely be part of natural climate variability. It is also likely that climate change will lead to more extreme events. For instance, extreme heat waves and torrential rain and snow events along with droughts are predicted to become more and more common.
The overall contribution of climate change to extreme cold is also often overlooked. As global temperatures continue to rise, warmer air is carried to higher altitudes, resulting in colder temperatures at ground level. This phenomenon is aptly termed “global warming weather” and refers to the fact that changes to the atmosphere can cause localising cooling, usually due to a change of the jet stream.
Conversely, there is also evidence that more frequent and wilder cold spells are caused at least in part by retreating ice in the Arctic. Less ice cover is associated with a weaker Jet Stream, due to the release of cold air from the Arctic that causes sudden temperature drops. This phenomenon, known as Arctic amplification, is enhanced by the fact that as sea ice melts it exposes more of the dark ocean beneath, which absorbs more heat from the sun than reflective ice.
Finally, it is important to note that while the evidence suggests a connection between climate change and extreme cold, research is limited and conclusions drawn are tentative. Nevertheless, it remains that human-induced global warming is causing extreme weather incidents, with consequences for the health and safety of local populations.
It is clear that global warming is leading to more extreme and unpredictable weather. With extreme cold spells taking place in the midst of global warming, it is imperative to consider how we can modify our behavior to reduce its effects while also investing in long-term, sustainable solutions. Changes in land-use, consumption and transportation are among the many strategies necessary to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.
By taking a more active role in managing our planet, we can better cope with shocks like the extreme cold of global warming weather.
How Can It Be So Cold With Global Warming
