Atlantic Circulation Slowing, Europe Cooling?

Not quite "The Day After Tomorrow." But close enough imo.

Scientists Say Slower Atlantic Currents Could Mean a Colder Europe

Scientists say they have measured a significant slowing in the Atlantic currents that carry warm water toward Northern Europe. If the trend persists, they say, the weather there could cool considerably in coming decades.

Some climate experts have said the potential cooling of Europe was paradoxically consistent with global warming caused by the accumulation of heat-trapping "greenhouse" emissions. But several experts said it was premature to conclude that the new measurements, to be described today in the journal Nature, meant that such a change was already under way.

The currents, branching off from the Gulf Stream, are part of an oceanic system that disperses tropical heat toward the poles and makes Northern Europe far warmer than its latitude would suggest.

Warming, in theory, could stall the salty, sun-heated, north-flowing currents by causing fresh water to build up in high-latitude seas as ice melts and more precipitation falls.

The scientists, from the National Oceanography Center in Britain, measured sea temperature, currents and other conditions across the Atlantic from the Bahamas to Africa last year and found a 30 percent drop in the flow of warming waters since a similar set of measurements were taken in 1957.

Wotta world. Economists can apply complexity theory and the monetary equivalents of epidemiological evidence - but when physical scientists use the same theories, they're shot down.

I saw a docco about this a few weeks ago, and I am thinking twice about building a winery in the Thames Valley near Reading, if it gets cold enough to freeze over the whole river even into the north sea where the channel ferries would have trouble getting through sea ice.

And this could happen in 50 years or less, and was said the big freeze (during winters) would be almost instant.

Originally posted by Saldorri
I saw a docco about this a few weeks ago, and I am thinking twice about building a winery in the Thames Valley near Reading, if it gets cold enough to freeze over the whole river even into the north sea where the channel ferries would have trouble getting through sea ice.

And this could happen in 50 years or less, and was said the big freeze (during winters) would be almost instant.

Be VERY cautious of investors dumping apparently valuable properties.

It seems like the cooling is happening more quickly - in certain regions - than anyone expected. On the other hand, some places -like where I live- are experiencing shorter, milder winters. ...Climate, like life, is complex and interesting.


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www.abovetopsecret.com...

physical scientists use the same theories, they're shot down

When are and what scientist are being shot down when they state the gulf stream is fading and Britain will look more and more like the Greenland in coming years?

I know Germany just had its worst snow storm in over 100 years. December here for me has started off very cold. We are averaging so far this month 13 degrees below normal per day and there is no end in sight to this cold snap.

That said... the price of Gold for some reason is over $500 per oz. It has shot up dramatically this year. Something is going on.

Oh for crying out loud!

This information is excellent! Which is it folks? Global warming
is running amuk and we are all going to fry, or is the Atlantic
going to send us into a deep freeze?

Soficrow, don't take this personally but -
That's not directed at you. It's from reading massive amounts
of 'hey, the globe is warming' and 'hey, the atlantic is freezing us'.

I need a Gin and Tonic to calm my nerves !!

Actually FlyersFan its probably a little of both. Global warming has run amuk for thousands of years. We've enjoyed a wonderful period of comfort and stability as a result. I think it has finally caught up with us. The warming has allowed enough fresh water to enter the Atlantic which has disrupted the current enough that its starting to alter our climate. As Mr. Levenstein would say. "This is a perfectly natural, normal thing."