Winter Wonderland...
A few years ago we started to see changes. There was a huge snowstorm in Maryland which brought FEET of snow rather than inches. Then driving to Michigan that year, for the first time ever, we left the snow behind only to find bare sidewalks and brown lawns where there should have been a winter wonderland - no snow! Since then we've had more crazy snowstorms here in Maryland interspersed with the normal slush and freezing rain, and our Michigan visits usually have snow but not always. This year was a wet Christmas - not a white Christmas. What's going on here? Could there be global warming in Michigan yet global cooling in Maryland? Is this a result of climate change? Let's see! Weather:Climate as Mood:Personality...One of the best analogies I've seen about climate and weather describes climate as someone's personality and weather as someone's mood. Weather can change every day or even every hour - sunny, cloudy, cool, rainy just as a mood can change from day to day or hour to hour. Both climate and personality remain relatively unchanged over long periods of time. Climate Change and the Carbon Cycle...
This link to a Carbon Cycle Animation from the University of Alberta does a great job showing how the Carbon Cycle works! The Greenhouse Effect and Carbon Dioxide...
Climate Change and the Greenhouse Effect....The short but entertaining video below explains how the slightly warmer air leads to changes in weather patterns. Much of the heat is absorbed by the oceans. Warmer water leads to more water evaporation which leads to more water in the air and more snow and rain in some areas. The warmer air over land also leads to more water evaporation which makes dry areas even drier! This could be a reason why winters in Michigan and Maryland are changing! Climate Change and People....How do we know that people have anything to do with climate change? The graphs below show the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere coinciding with the increase of average global temperature. Both trends began during the age of industrialization and continue to increase. Snow in Michigan and Maryland...Are the changes in snowfall in Michigan and Maryland related to carbon emissions and climate change? Probably!
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Cindy BenedekSharing a little bit of science in our everyday world . Previous Posts
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Photos used under Creative Commons from Hampshire Museums, shawncampbell, jfingas