According to scientists, the melting of ice leads to a sharp change in climatic conditions in Europe and the United States, writes Corriere della Sera based on the New York Times
The mayor of Iqaluit, the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, was forced to cancel the snowmobile parade scheduled for the New Year holidays. Reason: too little snow. And on the other side of the American continent, in Georgia, which is accustomed to the scorching sun, the inhabitants of Atlanta are forced to learn an unfamiliar job - snow removal. What's happening? - asks the author of the article.
“For the second year in a row, Arctic cold has hit southern Europe and the United States, while Canada and Greenland record winter temperatures 7 degrees above normal. This is a real climate change. “It's all to blame for the weakening of atmospheric circulation, which plays an important role in keeping a constant flow of very cold air over the Arctic,” the New York Times theorizes.
Because of this weakening, masses of cold air began to leave the North Pole, heading south. It is important to understand whether this phenomenon is associated with rapid climate change as a result of global warming. Some scientists confirm the existence of this connection, others are convinced that there is nothing extraordinary in recent climatic phenomena and that longer studies are required,”the author of the article writes.
“Experts explain that ice, whose area has shrunk by more than 30% in recent decades, plays an important role in reflecting sunlight. The reduction in the area of polar ice contributes to the absorption of warm air by ocean masses in the summer. It is this heat, accumulated in excess, that may be the main culprit for harsh winters in Europe and the United States. According to the theories of these scientists, fast air currents circulate in the Northern Hemisphere, called jet streams.
It is assumed that the increased pressure difference between the polar regions and mid-latitudes leads to a rapid conduction of cold air flow into a narrow circle that forms in the North Pole region. When the pressure difference decreases, the jet stream weakens and begins to spread southward, carrying cold masses to mid-latitudes, and warm currents in the direction of the North Pole.
"A similar effect is observed when the refrigerator door is opened: cold air" flows "into the kitchen, and warm room air can, in turn, penetrate into the refrigerator," the author of the article explains.