Does less arctic sea ice mean warmer winters?

With arctic sea ice at record low levels this year, you’d think that might imply warmer winters are on the way for continents in the northern hemisphere!

Well, think again. According to some climatic scientists like Charles Greene of Cornell University, just the opposite may occur. Less ice means more radiational cooling and that, in turn, leads to changes in the course of the jet stream.

According the professor Greene, “Everyone thinks of Arctic climate change as this remote phenomenon that has little effect on our everyday lives, but what goes on in the Arctic remotely forces our weather patterns here." He went on to state that, “What's happening now is that we are changing the climate system, especially in the Arctic, and that's increasing the odds for the negative AO (Arctic Oscillation) conditions that favor cold air invasions and severe winter weather outbreaks."

If what Mr. Greene say is true, then we may well be in for so interesting weather conditions here in Forsyth on this the first full day of winter!