The Ice Age Cometh! Forget Global Warming!

[loreta]

Here in Salamanca since Friday we really had cold weather, -8 at night and -5 during the day. Then, suddenly, today we had fog and the weather is more clement, +11 during the day. So the weather is crazy, like us. :P

 

[rylek]

Short overview of what's going on in Central Europe. Last night Czech Republic had its coldest night of this winter. Record low temperatures were recorded in 93 out of 178 meteorological stations. Lowest temperature -39.4 (though that's in the mountains), the average in the rest of the country is around -15. Just to put this into perspective, the lowest temperature ever recorded in CZ was -42.2 in February 1929.

The number of deaths in CZ from exposure (mostly homeless) is around 20. In the coming days it is expected that temperatures will drop even lower and might beat the old record.

Elsewhere in the region, as of yesterday in Poland there were total of 53 deaths from exposure, 131 in Ukraine. Also deaths in the teens in Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia. Otherwise infrastructure suffering such as rail tracks cracking, frozen trains, road disruptions due to burst water pipes.

 

[Yozilla]

Dalmatian smoked ham would be also great choice! ;)

Yes it would but I obviously need some change - something rally fatty

This is the 4th night I think with less then -10 in Belgrade.
State of emergency declared tonight. Could not move my car for 2 days , I have to start digging early morning in order to arrive in office in time.

Well I heard it on the news that the warmest place in Serbia was Mt Kopaonik (highest peak? there ) with -5° C (rest of Serbia from -10°C to -30°C or colder) ... So is it another pro in seeking refuge on the mountain tops in case of deluge and/or ice age when cooler air is staying in lower areas and in the heights is "warmer"?

 

[treesparrow]

Perhaps indicating just how cold it is in mainland Europe, is the recent huge increase in the number of traditional wintering bird species to the UK, particularly certain species of thrush. They're obviously having a hard time finding enough food on the continent and greater numbers have been forced to fly much farther west and south-west than usual, in search of it.

Blizzard of birds hits frozen gardensPosted on: 07 Feb 2012
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Huge numbers of birds have swept into gardens over the last few days, the latest results from the BTO's Garden BirdWatch survey reveal.

Fieldfares and Redwings, migrant thrushes to our shores, have led the charge. Compared with the preceding week, when thousands of people took part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, over five times as many Fieldfares have recently been seen in gardens and over twice as many Redwings.

The results, collected by participants in the year-round BTO Garden BirdWatch survey, show that numbers of other thrushes, such as Song Thrush (up 72 per cent), Mistle Thrush (up 49 per cent), have also increased hugely over the past week. Numbers of Blackbirds are up by a third.

Species
Increase since RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch (%)

Fieldfare
+ 441
Redwing
+ 137

Pied Wagtail
+ 92

Song Thrush
+ 72

Woodpigeon
+ 72

Brambling
+ 52

Mistle Thrush
+ 49

Blackbird
+ 32

Wren
+ 32

Jay
+ 31

Gardens have been inundated across Britain even where snow has not settled. In South-West England, for instance, where conditions are typically milder than elsewhere, numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare have rocketed. Here and in Wales, gardens are likely to be providing a refuge for many birds displaced from further north and east.

The exciting activity, featuring notable increases of Pied Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Brambling, Wren and Jay (see table), shows just how much things can change in a week.

Tim Harrison, BTO Garden BirdWatch, commented: “Many householders will be really disappointed that this huge influx of birds has come a week too late for their RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch count. Thankfully, however, people can make their garden count all year round through BTO Garden BirdWatch.”

Data collected by BTO volunteers show how sensitive our resident bird populations are to severe winter weather. Last winter’s cold snap saw numbers of Robins and Wrens drop by a third, Song Thrushes by a quarter and Dunnocks by a fifth, compared with the five-year average. Fortunately, many of these losses were offset by a bumper breeding season during 2011, but there are now lots of inexperienced birds out there feeling the cold.

He continued: “Survival for these birds is on a knife-edge, but there is much that householders can do to help. Peanuts, finely grated cheese and beef suet can provide a calorific hit; windfall or fresh fruit will help sustain thrushes, and sunflower hearts are a particular favourite with finches. The other important way to help is by counting your visitors. You can do this whatever the weather through BTO Garden BirdWatch

_http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?c=11&cate=__11825

There has also been an unprecedented influx of Iceland gulls from the far north.

With more settled conditions taking hold this week, white-winged gull concentrations began to dissipate as birds became increasingly mobile. At least 550 Iceland Gulls included more birds filtering southwards — there were more significant counts from Highland during the week. Peak counts including at least 65 still in Stornoway Harbour, Lewis (Outer Hebrides), 48 at Lerwick (Shetland), 25 at Killybegs (Donegal) and 20 at Ardglass (Down).

_http://birdguides.com/newsletter/default.asp

 

[GAIA]

Check out these beautiful but ohhhh so cold images. All taken in a place close to Geneva in Switzerland.

there are 12 photos in all, to see the rest here's the link
http://it.notizie.yahoo.com/foto/ginevra-ghiacciata-1328614836-slideshow/versoix-ginevra-le-sculture-di-ghiaccio-create-dal-vento-photo-1328614759.html

My favorite is the tree, seems to be from another world!

 

[Bim]

As someone who lives in the tropics and never gets snow, i must say i find those beautiful. I imagine it must be tough going through a storm like that, but there's still so much beauty in it. I guess i have a romantic notion of snow and snow storms in general

 

[Thomas Alan]

We had 12 inches of snow on Saturday. Sunday morning the Sun shown giving dazzling light. I don't know when I have seen such beauty. Trees and bushes loaded with snow bending down, the shape of everything softened in rich brilliant white.

The Universe sends us storms, but also incredible Splendor.

Mac

 

[Eongar]

Yesterday I sent this news and photos of the Black Sea:

http://www.cugetliber.ro/1328652000/articol/120598/imagini-spectaculoase--marea-neagra-a-inghetat-din-nou/

Incredible!

 

[Regulattor]

Just to give you some perspective of winter in southern Croatian region of Dalmatia which is unaccustomed to sub zero temperatures and big snows like it's now, accompanied with ferocious Bura wind. Few hundred villages were cut off due 2-4 m high snow drifts. Rescue workers are stretched and far too few in numbers to cope with this kind of storm, especially in this part of the Country. Manny roads are still closed and new storm is on the way!

The town of Imotski, Dalmatian inland, Croatia Feb.04th.2012.

 

[HiThere]

That looks awful, Regulattor. Hopefully the snow will be cleaned out before it amasses even more.

 

[Laura]

Yup. And minus 12C in the South of France last few mornings.

 

[HiThere]

This winter has made a strong case for a coming ice age. Nothing to do but wait and keep in mind the C's words that it isn't where you are that matters.

 

[mkrnhr]

It could be related (or not): http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241428-Is-Venus-Rotation-Slowing-Down-
But since the rotations (revolution and spin) of Venus is both related to Earth's rotation (commensurability), I wonder what kind of a subtle effect it can have here through spin-orbit interaction..

 

[Meager1]

There has been no snow where I am in central MA since that freak storm that knocked the power out for 8 days back in October. We have been averaging 40-60 degrees,every day.

It has been one of the mildest winters I can remember.

We might get some snow tomorrow, their saying less than an inch, then it goes back up into the 40`s again, a day later!

We could be looking at a serious drought in the summer though, if this trend continues.

 

[Laura]

It could be related (or not): http://www.sott.net/articles/show/241428-Is-Venus-Rotation-Slowing-Down-
But since the rotations (revolution and spin) of Venus is both related to Earth's rotation (commensurability), I wonder what kind of a subtle effect it can have here through spin-orbit interaction..

Maybe earth has slowed down an equal amount relative to its size in comparison. (I hope you know what I mean here.)

Question is: would that be due to the approach of a dark body grounding the system? Anybody know enough about electricity or electrogravitics or whatever might be involved, to offer an opinion or explanation?