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Re: [Phys-L] Polar Vortex



On 1/7/2014 11:20 AM, LaMontagne, Bob wrote:
The reason I bring all this up is because of all the incorrect meteorology and physics that is being bantered about in the media and - wait for it - how it is supposedly connected to global warming. I have now twice seen graphics of a huge supposed "polar vortex" of low pressure that supposedly resides over the poles (remember the Polar High), followed by an explanation of how global warming has split the main vortex into two vortices that have wandered south over Southern Canada and the old Soviet Union, causing the extremely cold weather there.

This is just silliness. The low pressure flow we are seeing over Canada is often there- winter and summer. In colder winters than usual, the temperature gradient just intensifies these large scale lows producing what we all know in the US as "Alberta Clippers" or the "Montreal Express" - cold air coming in from over the Canadian plains. The media has simply repackaged these as the "Polar Vortex". As many have pointed out on this list, there is a difference between weather and climate. While global temperatures have risen over the past century, that has nothing to do with the weather we are currently experiencing.

Bob at PC

A colleague had just informed me that our friends at FOX had declared Global Warming over based on the cold weather, but I had assured her that someone would certainly blame the 'polar vortex' on Global Warming. Bob's note reaffirms my faith in our media! Little wonder the public is confused--me too!

rwt (clearly reading and listening to the wrong things ;-) )

-- Richard Tarara
Professor of Physics Saint Mary's College
free Physics educational software www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/software.html