Oregon summers reflect global warming

[Ivan Seeking]

"Oregon summers reflect global warming"

ORLANDO, FLA.--(Aug. 9, 2005)--Summers are getting sunnier in Oregon, according to evidence presented today by University of Oregon physicists during the 2005 Solar World Congress in Orlando. The study is a first step toward testing and refining regional climate models for the Pacific Northwest that will help track global warming.

In sharp contrast to reports of increased global dimming, the study's researchers reported a 10 to 15 percent increase in solar radiation at sites in Burns, Hermiston and Eugene over the last 25 years, according to an initial analysis of data collected since 1979 by the university's Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory. [continued]

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-08/uoo-uoo080805.php

 

[hypatia]

http://http://www.newsreview.info/article/20050119/NEWS/101190079

I have read both of theses kinds of reports on my state too. Makes me wonder what to think..global warming or natural cycles? At this point, anyones guess is as good as mine.

 

[reasonmclucus]

Kansas summers have become cooler over the last decade, including both daytime and nighttime temperatures.

 

[juju]

Hi,

Where I live in southern Oregon, I have noticed that both summer and winter temperatures have increased over the last fifteen years.

In summer there are many more 90 degree days than 15 years ago.

In winter there are no days where the temperature doesn't get above freezing. 15 years ago there were at least 15 or 20 such days.

juju

 

[russ_watters]

People are acting like this summer is hot in PA, but it isn't. We haven't passed 95 yet, and in '95, we had maybe a dozen days over 100. The winter 2 years ago was one of the coldest on record and the year before that was only slightly warmer.

Global warming is probably a reality, but I hate anecdotal and localized evidence.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

People are acting like this summer is hot in PA, but it isn't. We haven't passed 95 yet, and in '95, we had maybe a dozen days over 100. The winter 2 years ago was one of the coldest on record and the year before that was only slightly warmer.

Global warming is probably a reality, but I hate anecdotal and localized evidence.

I think the point of the report is to provide a quantitative basis for testing and improving climate models.

 

[Integral]

Hi,

Where I live in southern Oregon, I have noticed that both summer and winter temperatures have increased over the last fifteen years.

In summer there are many more 90 degree days than 15 years ago.

In winter there are no days where the temperature doesn't get above freezing. 15 years ago there were at least 15 or 20 such days.

juju

While there has been a long stretch of +85F days here in the Willamette valley there have yet to be ANY +100F days, I do not consider a summer hot unless we have 5 or more days of consecutive +100F. The average day time high temp for July, Aug and is about 80F with STD ~3Fhttp://www.ocs.oregonstate.edu/index.html So by the averages this is getting close to a above average mean high temp month.

BTW the summer time average daily highs for Southern Oregon are nearly 10F above those of the Willamette valley.
My brother (Myrtle Creek) reports +100F days there this year.

 

[WhiteWolf]

Also, in Arizona, we have had record rainfall if anything, people in other threads have been saying people in Arizona have been suffering from a heatwave, it hasnt been much different then any other AZ summer, except we have had much more rain then what we typically get.

 

[Amp1]

Here in NY, we have had some hot summers and some normal ones. The winters have on average seem to have gotten milder - less snow days, less days where the temp is below the 20s this has occurred over the last 10 years since I've been living here. About 5 or 6 years back we had a summer where the temp got to 100 or above three days in a row and it was in the mid to high 90s for a few weeks, 20 to 30 years before that the temps were more 'normal' winters were brrrr COLD and summers were mild to moderate. Unlike the temperture swings that have happened over the past 10 years or so.

I have also read that there is occurring a general rise in sea level, that it make even be rising somewhat faster each year.

These seems like belivable sources: http://www.grida.no/climate/vital/19.htm

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0420_040420_earthday.html

This BBc article offers some relief from the more drastic outcome scenarios:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4565935.stm

 

[reasonmclucus]

Are current surface water temperatures off the Oregon coast normal or are they cooler than normal?

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/

Water temps around 15 C wouldn't be causing much heating of the air off the coast and wouldn't be evaporating much water. This would lead to drier air which can heat up faster because it has a lower specific heat than wet air. Air above land normally heats up faster during the day drawing in air from the ocean , but this air wouldn't contain much water vapor due to the low water temp. The limited water vapor in the air would also limit formation clouds which would reflect solar radiation back into space.

 

[Amp1]

The clouds could also reflect radiation back to the surface. And the absence of clouds would allow more solar energy to reach the surface and more would be absorbed by the water.

 

[WhiteWolf]

The clouds could also reflect radiation back to the surface. And the absence of clouds would allow more solar energy to reach the surface and more would be absorbed by the water.

Yes, but the absence of clouds causes more radiation to escape the Earth's atmosphere, causing cooler air temperatures, which would then equalize with the temperature of the water. It still balances out either way.

 

[Amp1]

Another problem

I think not once GH gases are added to the mix. Methane is a more powerfl GH gas and it is also increasing in the atmosphere.

http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/product.biblio.jsp?osti_id=5714848
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1215-24.htm
http://www.ciesin.org/docs/004-032/004-032.html
http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/hotitems/methane1998.html

An opposing view: http://www.ghgonline.org/methanesinkatmos.htm
http://www.gcrio.org/OnLnDoc/pdf/methane031117.pdf#search='methane atmosphere increase'
http://www.igac.noaa.gov/newsletter/21/methane_sink.php

Somewhat conflicting views, however, I believe what as gone unnoticed is the methane emmisions from offshore drilling which disturbs deposits of methane hydrate that exists in large quantities.

 

[WhiteWolf]

ugh, methane is not a rediculously powerful GH gas like you are implying, Andre explained it in better detail then I ever could though in the thread about the planet dying at the top. I don't think it is necessary to repeat it again. :tongue: