Down to Earth Blog

Unexpected El Nino Was a Factor: I came across this great interview from Earth & Sky recently, "Expert Explains the Quiet Hurricane Season of '06." In it, Dr. Christopher Landea, a research meteorologist at the National Hurricane Center, says that El Nino weather events in the Pacific Ocean help to cut down on hurricanes in the Atlantic. This year, scientists did not expect an El Nino, but one did occur.

Some quotes from him: "But what we’ve seen since 1995 is that every year, except an El Nino, has been quite a bit above normal." 

"There’s quite a bit of evidence that what we’re seeing is the natural cycle, but there likely is also a contribution due to global warming."

Dr. Landsea says most of the increased hurricane activity in recent years is due to a natural cycle, but that global warming is probably playing some part. Sound reasonable to you?

Technorati Tags: Hurricanes, El Nino, Global Warming , Climate Change , Earth and Sky, Christopher Landsea

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• #2 Comment from terrisully 
  4/10/07 2:00 AM | Permalink

  I agree that global warming is evident. I grew up in norhtern Wisconsin and we alwaysm had at least a foot of snow on the ground by Christmas and by the end of winter we had at least 5 feet of snow. This year there was no snow on the ground at christmas where my mom lives . a brown Christmas in norhtern Wisconsin,imagine that . This is not a hoax it is really happening
• #1 Comment from riverlvr420 
  11/12/06 12:15 PM | Permalink

   Global warming is evident, even in the State of South Carolina. I've seen it myself!...
   I was born in 1965. I've lived in the Upstate of S.C. for most of my life. I can remember winter seasons in the early to mid-1970's being much colder on average than today. Our area had 4,5 and some years, up to 6 snow storms per season. The ground would freeze rock hard and the ponds would freeze over solid.
  And it would remain this way for the rest of the season.
   We haven't had a "real" snow storm since Feb. of 1988. 18" of white covered the Upstate for almost two weeks. Since then, all we've had here is ice storms,,,and they're gone within 36 hours. Then it's right back to our moderate 50 and 60 degree "Winter" days that we've become use to...
   I can't the last time I seen a pond frozen over!..
   Yes, global warming is evident, even in South Carolina...