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Record-Breaking Cold Waves in the Winter 2022-2023 and Their Linkage to Global Warming
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Coal Power
Jan 10, 2024, 3:10:03 PMJan 10
to
February 24, 2023 by Alan Wang
With global warming driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, the
frequency and intensity of extreme heat waves have increased over the
world in recent years. Concurrently, winter has become warmer in many
areas. It is thus interesting to check the frequency and intensity of
extremely cold waves.
According to Berkeley Earth, the last eight years have been the warmest
eight years on Earth since 1850, with 2022 ranked the fifth warmest year.
In past months, countries in Europe experienced their warmest winter on
record, with some mountains bare of snow. On the other hand, deadly cold
waves made temperatures in central Asia, northeastern Asia, and northern
America plummet to new record low levels.
This article provides a brief overview of recording-breaking cold
temperatures over the world during the winter of 2022-2023, followed by a
discussion of their linkage to global warming. Finally, tips for living in
extreme cold weather are provided.
Extremely cold waves in the winter 2022-2023
Canada
Following a record-breaking warm October, Canadians experienced some
record-breaking cold days for November and December in 2022. According to
Environment Canada records, thirteen temperature records were broken
across British Columbia on 9 November 2022, as reported by Global News.
On 5 December 2022, temperatures in the Key Lake area in northern
Saskatchewan plummeted to a record-tying low of -40.5°C (-40.9°F). On
December 7, temperatures in Weyburn plunged to -39.6°C (-39.3°F),
eclipsing the previous record of -33.3°C set in 1953, CBC reported. On
December 21, temperatures in Fort Nelson dropped to -43.6°C (-46.48°F),
beating the previous record of -39.5°C for the area, as reported by CTV
News, and temperatures in Yukon plummeted to -51.7°C (-62°F), the coldest
in more than 30 years.
On Feb 4, 2023, the Halifax airport in Nova Scotia saw its coldest wind
chills ever recorded, with temperature plummeting to -43°C (-45.4°F). This
tops its previous record of -41°C that was set on 13 February 1967 for
wind chill. Many other places across Canada also set new daily records,
with temperatures lower than -40°C. On Feb 19, temperatures in Shepherd
Bay, Nunavut dropped to -49.6°C (-57.3°F).
USA
Starting on February 3, an extremely cold wave hit the US. Interestingly,
the extreme cold snap occurred after the warmest January on record for
several states in the US. As reported by CNN, January 2023 was the first
month that temperatures in New York City stood above average every day,
and the month ended without visible snowfall in the city.
On 4 February 2023, temperatures at the summit of Mount Washington, the
region’s highest peak, fell to -44°C (-47°F). This is the lowest daily
temperature recorded in the state in February, as reported by the
Guardian. In addition, an extraordinarily low wind chill temperature of -
78°C (-108°F), with wind gusts of 127 mph, was recorded at the summit of
Mount Washington, making it the coldest wind chill recorded in continental
US history.
On the same day, Boston recorded its coldest temperature at -23°C (-10°F),
the lowest since January 1957. A state of emergency was also declared in
Boston, Massachusetts on February 4, 2023, the Guardian reported. Some
other cities also set their new daily records of temperature.
Russia
On 18 January 2023, temperatures in the town of Yakutsk in eastern
Siberia, 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) east of Moscow, plummeted to -
62.7°C/-80.9°F – a new record low for the town.
Yakutsk is on the permafrost of the Russian Far East. It is the world’s
coldest city where temperatures in winter always drop well below minus 40
degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit).
China
On 22 January 2023, temperatures in Mohe in northeastern China’s
Heilongjiang province, close to the Russian border, plummeted to -53°C/-
63.4°F, the lowest temperature ever recorded in China. The previous
coldest temperature on record in the city was -52.3°C/-62.14°F, which was
recorded in 1969, as reported by BBC. Twelve weather stations in
Heilongjiang province also reported temperatures close to or below their
low-temperature records in the week.
Japan
On 26 January 2023, the extreme cold hit Japan. Temperatures in Otawara, a
city in the Tochigi prefecture, central Japan, plummeted to -16.4°C/
+2.5°F, a new record low for the area. On the same day, the city of Maniwa
in Okayama prefecture broke its snowfall record after receiving a fresh 93
cm/36 inches in 24 hours, as noted in a news report.
On 27 January 2023, temperatures in Kamishihoro, a town located in Tokachi
Subprefecture, Hokkaido, northeastern Japan, plummeted to -24.9°C/-12.8°F.
It is the lowest temperature ever recorded in this town in January.
Central Asia
Starting from January 10, 2023, an extreme cold snap hit Afghanistan.
Temperatures in more mountainous regions plunged to -34 °C (-29.2°F), with
up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow. It was the harshest and coldest
ever winter in the country. The cold snap has killed over 160 people in
eight of the country’s 34 provinces within two weeks, making it the
deadliest weather event of 2023 so far.
Linkage between extreme cold weather and global warming
In general, cold waves are generated and spread from the Arctic. However,
the Arctic is warming up to four times faster than the rest of the world
as a result of global warming driven by greenhouse gases emitted from
burning fossil fuels.
Evidence indicates that global warming has made winters warmer and
shorter. For example, winters in the US have warmed an average of 3
degrees in the past half-century, with some northern states warming up to
5 degrees. On the other hand, a recent study shows that Arctic warming has
also a significant impact on extreme winter weather in both North America
and East Asia. Thus, it is also believed that climate warming can make
winters to be colder.
Briefly, there are two major theories about cold weather. One theory
hypothesizes that our weather is intimately connected with the jet stream,
a wavy river of fast-moving air high in the atmosphere, around the level
at which airplanes fly. When the jet stream swings south, cold Arctic air
can dive into the mid-latitude areas, including North America, Europe, and
Asia where most people live in. When the jet stream retreats north, warm
air will push further north.
Another theory suggests that cold weather is related to the polar vortex,
which is cold air circulating the Earth’s Poles but can extend further
away from them. The polar vortex sits extremely high in the stratosphere –
above the level of the jet stream. In its normal state, the polar vortex
rotates very fast, keeping the cold air close to the center, like an ice
skater spinning quickly on the spot. From time to time, the polar vortex
gets disrupted as if the ice skater hits a crack in the ice and flies off
course. When it is wobbled and dislodged, cold air is spilled out and
influences the path of the jet stream, delivering extremely cold air
southward.
Correspondingly, there are two hypotheses about how global warming makes
winter colder. A 2012 study suggests that Arctic warming reduces the
difference between the cold temperatures in the north and warm
temperatures in the south, leading to a weaker and wavier jet stream,
which would allow very cold air to swing from the Arctic more easily into
mid-latitude regions. However, observations of jet stream patterns after
2012 have not confirmed this hypothesis yet.
Another study, published in 2021, indicates that Arctic warming can
disturb the circular pattern of the polar vortex. Usually, a stable polar
vortex is centered farther north, and the cold air typically moves from
west to east. However, a disrupted polar vortex may act in a wavy pattern,
causing a stretching of the vortex which enables extremely cold air to
flow away from Europe but down to Asia or North America in the past two
months.
While scientists are still trying to confirm whether global warming can
indeed make the polar vortex more unstable, extreme temperature
fluctuations or extreme weather events over the world seem to have been
exacerbated in recent years. Therefore, more ambitious, effective measures
to mitigate climate change induced by human activities are indeed
warranted.
Tips for living in extreme cold weather
Recent studies have indicated that extreme cold waves are deadlier than
extreme heat waves. Living in extreme cold weather is often hard for
people, especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, children,
migrants, refugees, and poor persons. How to adapt to living in extremely
cold places remains a challenge for many people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for
Environmental Health, USA have released a prevention guide to promote your
health and safety in extreme cold-weather conditions. This guide is quite
helpful as it has provided tips to prepare for extreme cold weather by
following sections:
Winter survival kit for your home,
Winter survival kit for your car,
Indoor safety,
Outdoor safety, and
Cold-weather health emergencies.
As emphasized in the pamphlet, taking preventive action is your best
defense against having to deal with extreme cold-weather conditions.
Comments
Bribin' Byden II says
January 11, 2024 at
It’s called “weather”. Look it up. There isn’t squat humans can do to
impact the climate on this planet that a natural event won’t circumvent in
a matter of hours or days. Attempting to blame the changes on an Al Gore
marketing campaign isn’t going to make it factual, just disingenuous. The
world is overpopulated. The uncontrolled over-breeding in China, India,
Pakistan and Africa are the primary causes. The only solution is to kill
off 75% of the population on the planet. Are you ready to do that?
While you decide, I’ll continue to get my weather from the Farmer’s
Almanac, which I’ve done for over 60 years now.
https://www.careourearth.com/record-breaking-cold-waves-during-2022-2023-
and-global-warming/
With global warming driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, the
frequency and intensity of extreme heat waves have increased over the
world in recent years. Concurrently, winter has become warmer in many
areas. It is thus interesting to check the frequency and intensity of
extremely cold waves.
According to Berkeley Earth, the last eight years have been the warmest
eight years on Earth since 1850, with 2022 ranked the fifth warmest year.
In past months, countries in Europe experienced their warmest winter on
record, with some mountains bare of snow. On the other hand, deadly cold
waves made temperatures in central Asia, northeastern Asia, and northern
America plummet to new record low levels.
This article provides a brief overview of recording-breaking cold
temperatures over the world during the winter of 2022-2023, followed by a
discussion of their linkage to global warming. Finally, tips for living in
extreme cold weather are provided.
Extremely cold waves in the winter 2022-2023
Canada
Following a record-breaking warm October, Canadians experienced some
record-breaking cold days for November and December in 2022. According to
Environment Canada records, thirteen temperature records were broken
across British Columbia on 9 November 2022, as reported by Global News.
On 5 December 2022, temperatures in the Key Lake area in northern
Saskatchewan plummeted to a record-tying low of -40.5°C (-40.9°F). On
December 7, temperatures in Weyburn plunged to -39.6°C (-39.3°F),
eclipsing the previous record of -33.3°C set in 1953, CBC reported. On
December 21, temperatures in Fort Nelson dropped to -43.6°C (-46.48°F),
beating the previous record of -39.5°C for the area, as reported by CTV
News, and temperatures in Yukon plummeted to -51.7°C (-62°F), the coldest
in more than 30 years.
On Feb 4, 2023, the Halifax airport in Nova Scotia saw its coldest wind
chills ever recorded, with temperature plummeting to -43°C (-45.4°F). This
tops its previous record of -41°C that was set on 13 February 1967 for
wind chill. Many other places across Canada also set new daily records,
with temperatures lower than -40°C. On Feb 19, temperatures in Shepherd
Bay, Nunavut dropped to -49.6°C (-57.3°F).
USA
Starting on February 3, an extremely cold wave hit the US. Interestingly,
the extreme cold snap occurred after the warmest January on record for
several states in the US. As reported by CNN, January 2023 was the first
month that temperatures in New York City stood above average every day,
and the month ended without visible snowfall in the city.
On 4 February 2023, temperatures at the summit of Mount Washington, the
region’s highest peak, fell to -44°C (-47°F). This is the lowest daily
temperature recorded in the state in February, as reported by the
Guardian. In addition, an extraordinarily low wind chill temperature of -
78°C (-108°F), with wind gusts of 127 mph, was recorded at the summit of
Mount Washington, making it the coldest wind chill recorded in continental
US history.
On the same day, Boston recorded its coldest temperature at -23°C (-10°F),
the lowest since January 1957. A state of emergency was also declared in
Boston, Massachusetts on February 4, 2023, the Guardian reported. Some
other cities also set their new daily records of temperature.
Russia
On 18 January 2023, temperatures in the town of Yakutsk in eastern
Siberia, 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) east of Moscow, plummeted to -
62.7°C/-80.9°F – a new record low for the town.
Yakutsk is on the permafrost of the Russian Far East. It is the world’s
coldest city where temperatures in winter always drop well below minus 40
degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit).
China
On 22 January 2023, temperatures in Mohe in northeastern China’s
Heilongjiang province, close to the Russian border, plummeted to -53°C/-
63.4°F, the lowest temperature ever recorded in China. The previous
coldest temperature on record in the city was -52.3°C/-62.14°F, which was
recorded in 1969, as reported by BBC. Twelve weather stations in
Heilongjiang province also reported temperatures close to or below their
low-temperature records in the week.
Japan
On 26 January 2023, the extreme cold hit Japan. Temperatures in Otawara, a
city in the Tochigi prefecture, central Japan, plummeted to -16.4°C/
+2.5°F, a new record low for the area. On the same day, the city of Maniwa
in Okayama prefecture broke its snowfall record after receiving a fresh 93
cm/36 inches in 24 hours, as noted in a news report.
On 27 January 2023, temperatures in Kamishihoro, a town located in Tokachi
Subprefecture, Hokkaido, northeastern Japan, plummeted to -24.9°C/-12.8°F.
It is the lowest temperature ever recorded in this town in January.
Central Asia
Starting from January 10, 2023, an extreme cold snap hit Afghanistan.
Temperatures in more mountainous regions plunged to -34 °C (-29.2°F), with
up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow. It was the harshest and coldest
ever winter in the country. The cold snap has killed over 160 people in
eight of the country’s 34 provinces within two weeks, making it the
deadliest weather event of 2023 so far.
Linkage between extreme cold weather and global warming
In general, cold waves are generated and spread from the Arctic. However,
the Arctic is warming up to four times faster than the rest of the world
as a result of global warming driven by greenhouse gases emitted from
burning fossil fuels.
Evidence indicates that global warming has made winters warmer and
shorter. For example, winters in the US have warmed an average of 3
degrees in the past half-century, with some northern states warming up to
5 degrees. On the other hand, a recent study shows that Arctic warming has
also a significant impact on extreme winter weather in both North America
and East Asia. Thus, it is also believed that climate warming can make
winters to be colder.
Briefly, there are two major theories about cold weather. One theory
hypothesizes that our weather is intimately connected with the jet stream,
a wavy river of fast-moving air high in the atmosphere, around the level
at which airplanes fly. When the jet stream swings south, cold Arctic air
can dive into the mid-latitude areas, including North America, Europe, and
Asia where most people live in. When the jet stream retreats north, warm
air will push further north.
Another theory suggests that cold weather is related to the polar vortex,
which is cold air circulating the Earth’s Poles but can extend further
away from them. The polar vortex sits extremely high in the stratosphere –
above the level of the jet stream. In its normal state, the polar vortex
rotates very fast, keeping the cold air close to the center, like an ice
skater spinning quickly on the spot. From time to time, the polar vortex
gets disrupted as if the ice skater hits a crack in the ice and flies off
course. When it is wobbled and dislodged, cold air is spilled out and
influences the path of the jet stream, delivering extremely cold air
southward.
Correspondingly, there are two hypotheses about how global warming makes
winter colder. A 2012 study suggests that Arctic warming reduces the
difference between the cold temperatures in the north and warm
temperatures in the south, leading to a weaker and wavier jet stream,
which would allow very cold air to swing from the Arctic more easily into
mid-latitude regions. However, observations of jet stream patterns after
2012 have not confirmed this hypothesis yet.
Another study, published in 2021, indicates that Arctic warming can
disturb the circular pattern of the polar vortex. Usually, a stable polar
vortex is centered farther north, and the cold air typically moves from
west to east. However, a disrupted polar vortex may act in a wavy pattern,
causing a stretching of the vortex which enables extremely cold air to
flow away from Europe but down to Asia or North America in the past two
months.
While scientists are still trying to confirm whether global warming can
indeed make the polar vortex more unstable, extreme temperature
fluctuations or extreme weather events over the world seem to have been
exacerbated in recent years. Therefore, more ambitious, effective measures
to mitigate climate change induced by human activities are indeed
warranted.
Tips for living in extreme cold weather
Recent studies have indicated that extreme cold waves are deadlier than
extreme heat waves. Living in extreme cold weather is often hard for
people, especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, children,
migrants, refugees, and poor persons. How to adapt to living in extremely
cold places remains a challenge for many people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for
Environmental Health, USA have released a prevention guide to promote your
health and safety in extreme cold-weather conditions. This guide is quite
helpful as it has provided tips to prepare for extreme cold weather by
following sections:
Winter survival kit for your home,
Winter survival kit for your car,
Indoor safety,
Outdoor safety, and
Cold-weather health emergencies.
As emphasized in the pamphlet, taking preventive action is your best
defense against having to deal with extreme cold-weather conditions.
Comments
Bribin' Byden II says
January 11, 2024 at
It’s called “weather”. Look it up. There isn’t squat humans can do to
impact the climate on this planet that a natural event won’t circumvent in
a matter of hours or days. Attempting to blame the changes on an Al Gore
marketing campaign isn’t going to make it factual, just disingenuous. The
world is overpopulated. The uncontrolled over-breeding in China, India,
Pakistan and Africa are the primary causes. The only solution is to kill
off 75% of the population on the planet. Are you ready to do that?
While you decide, I’ll continue to get my weather from the Farmer’s
Almanac, which I’ve done for over 60 years now.
https://www.careourearth.com/record-breaking-cold-waves-during-2022-2023-
and-global-warming/
R Kym Horsell
Jan 10, 2024, 3:25:01 PMJan 10
to
In alt.global-warming Coal Power <coal-...@solar.com> wrote:
> February 24, 2023 by Alan Wang
>
> With global warming driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, the
> frequency and intensity of extreme heat waves have increased over the
> world in recent years. Concurrently, winter has become warmer in many
> areas. It is thus interesting to check the frequency and intensity of
> extremely cold waves.
...
> February 24, 2023 by Alan Wang
>
> With global warming driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, the
> frequency and intensity of extreme heat waves have increased over the
> world in recent years. Concurrently, winter has become warmer in many
> areas. It is thus interesting to check the frequency and intensity of
> extremely cold waves.
It's Finally Cold -- But for European Gas Traders, Winter Is Already Over
Bloomberg.com, 08 Jan 2024
Winter is over. If you're reading these lines early Monday in Europe, you
probably think I'm crazy. Yes, I'm aware it's frigid in most of...
--
[Heat Waves:]
Heat waves are occurring more often than they used to in major cities
across the United States, from an average of two heat waves per year
during the 1960s to more than six per year during the 2020s. The
average heat wave season across 50 major cities is 49 days longer than
it was in the 1960s. Of the 50 metropolitan areas in this indicator, 46
experienced a statistically significant increase in heat wave frequency
between the 1960s and 2020s. The increase in the length of the heat
wave season was significant in 44 locations.
-- https://www.globalchange.gov/indicators/heat-waves
Cancun Ted
Jan 10, 2024, 3:29:05 PMJan 10
to
>
>In alt.global-warming Coal Power <coal-...@solar.com> wrote:
>> February 24, 2023 by Alan Wang
>>
>> With global warming driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, the
>> frequency and intensity of extreme heat waves have increased over the
>> world in recent years. Concurrently, winter has become warmer in many
>> areas. It is thus interesting to check the frequency and intensity of
>> extremely cold waves.
>...
>
>It's Finally Cold -- But for European Gas Traders, Winter Is Already Over
>Bloomberg.com, 08 Jan 2024
>Winter is over. If you're reading these lines early Monday in Europe, you
>probably think I'm crazy. Yes, I'm aware it's frigid in most of...
Trump was hit by a cold wave yesterday and now it's off to prison for him.
>In alt.global-warming Coal Power <coal-...@solar.com> wrote:
>> February 24, 2023 by Alan Wang
>>
>> With global warming driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, the
>> frequency and intensity of extreme heat waves have increased over the
>> world in recent years. Concurrently, winter has become warmer in many
>> areas. It is thus interesting to check the frequency and intensity of
>> extremely cold waves.
>...
>
>It's Finally Cold -- But for European Gas Traders, Winter Is Already Over
>Bloomberg.com, 08 Jan 2024
>Winter is over. If you're reading these lines early Monday in Europe, you
>probably think I'm crazy. Yes, I'm aware it's frigid in most of...
They sneak up on you. Froze everybody to death in Texas and Floridua.
Every last one.
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