"Should we talk about the weather ?" Topic

Or should we …

no, weather it is.

link

1954 apart I'm starting to see a pattern emerge in the wettest years on record for the UK :

Top five wettest years in the UK
1. 2000 – 1,337.3mm
2. 2012 – 1,330.7mm
3. 1954 – 1,309.1 mm
4. 2008 – 1,295.0mm
5. 2002 – 1,283.7mm

So, 4 of the 5 wettest years on record were in the last 10 years. Could it be getting…wetter ??

Quite amusing to look back to early 2012 when we had a hosepipe ban because of the unusually dry winter raising fears of a summertime drought.

when we had a hosepipe ban because of the unusually dry winter raising fears of a summertime drought

That's why public policy should never be based on the weather. Just wait, it will change.

It's 4 below 0(F) in Utica NY. We have a foot of snow-which is good for groundwater in the spring.

I was worried last spring because of the mild winter. We should have a good snowpack as long as it does not warm up too much here in Rochester.

Cold and we still have a drought in Oklahoma.

2012 was the Warmest year for 200 years here in Albany, NY.

Southern Tier New Yorker chiming in. We've had more snow so far this season than all of last season. couldn't even drive sleds at all last year. been out twice already this year, as long as the temps stay low we'll keep or trail base.

The figures are especially bad if you consider that we were having a bit of a drought up to March so the yearly figure is only really for 9 months of the year so that's a lot of rain.

Ahh, but Albany's famous for its tropical conditions…. ;-)

"Could it be getting…wetter ??"

Britain getting wetter, especially in the north, was one of the predicted results of gobal climate change. Hardly surprising as we are parked next a huge ocean stuffed full of relatively warm water etc.

What we do seem to have is more extreme activity, so basically it looks like we have 'more weather' in general as the Jet Stream oscillates frantically.

We averaged 6o+ degrees Fahrenheit in 2012. The finished with the lowest snow fall on record 4 inches and minus 8 inches rain.

The drought has all but closed the Mississippi River to barge traffic and the outlook does not bode well.

Terry. St. Louis, MO USA

2012 was the Warmest year for 200 years here in Albany, NY.

That would go back to 1812, which raises the question of how accurately and precisely records were made and kept, as well as how much attention was paid to factors such as time of day, placement of the thermometer, exposure to wind, sun, rain and non-weather related heat sources, etc.. So maybe, and maybe not.

Hahahahahahahaha. Ahem.

Available water is only partially responsive to the amount of rainfall. Much of Britain's water comes from the aquifer, which, according to a geologist friend, can take up to 7 years to receive the rain filtering through the rocks. Additionally much of the rain runs straight off into the drainage system or rivers, and is lost.

Even rain that falls directly into reservoirs makes little difference during a drought. 2 inches of rain sounds a lot (well it is) but is only a small fraction of the height of the reservoir.

By whose records Bill, they adjust current readings up to compensate for 'inaccuracies?'

Apparently pre-1870 they had better temp records. No need for 'adjustments' there.

Of course Krakatoa and the 'mini Ice Age' have nothing to do with the temp record either.

Sydney is getting hotter and wetter. I think its part of the tropics beginning to move south. We are kind of getting a little monsoon over the summer months. Also winds and gale like storms are getting worse, another phenomena I assume are the cyclones moving further south.

"Even rain that falls directly into reservoirs makes little difference during a drought. 2 inches of rain sounds a lot (well it is) but is only a small fraction of the height of the reservoir."

Except reservoirs are usually fed by rivers, often surrounded by large hills which produce tons of runoff.

The reservoirs up here are all completely full, with Derwent doing its impressive 'water pouring over the top' thing and Ladybower's massive plug hole gurgling away like a drain to hell.

The most impressive thing I saw was Lake Windermere after the very heavy rain in November 2009. 12" of rain in 24 hours had raised the level of the lake by over 6 feet. As the lake is 13 miles long, that is quite a lot of water…

True.- I'll concede that one. I was thinking of those that have little or no river input- especially the man made ones. It depends on the reservoir I think. However it is true that much water is effectively lost- much of the rain in the south east ends up in the Thames

Apparently pre-1870 they had better temp records.

Riiiiiight.
--
Tim

link

UAH Global Temperature Report: 2012 was 9th warmest

Globally, 2012 was ninth warmest of the past 34 years; In the U.S., 2012 sets a new record high temperature Global climate trend since Nov. 16, 1978: +0.14 C per decade December temperatures (preliminary)

Only 34 years as that is the timeline for reliable satellite data.

Amusingly, when I left Alaska for the Christmas break from work, it was 40 below. Capping a year of overall below average temperatures with Fairbanks having record lows in July.