Antarctica is receiving heat transfers that rob the continent of its frigid temperatures.

New Zealand 'enters recession' (click title to entry above, thank you)
New Zealand is already in a recession, according to a new assessment by the country's Treasury.
The most common definition of a recession defines it as two consecutive three-month periods of contraction....

New Zealand's Jobless Rate Probably Rose to 18-Month-High 3.8% (click here)
Aug. 5 (Bloomberg) -- New Zealand's jobless rate probably rose to an 18-month high in the second quarter as the economy stalled, prompting companies to reduce hiring.
The unemployment rate rose to 3.8 percent from 3.6 percent in the first quarter, according to the median estimate of 13 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The report is released Aug. 7 at 10:45 a.m. in Wellington....

This image was occurring at the same time as the satellite picture below. The vortex can be noted in the satellite below at 8 o'clock. Australia is at 7 o'clock.


July 26, 2008
0722 gmt

I have to retrieve a satellite image from last week that proves the above statement. The above satellite clearly indicates a very turbulent Southern Hemisphere. One might recall the penguin deaths recently.

Hundreds of baby penguins found dead in Brazil (click here)

Their trauma was also visited by the people of New Zealand (see satellite image of vortex over New Zealand above.)

Thousands without power, roads closed as storm batters NI (+photos) (click here)

Yacht gets bashed (click here)

At issue is this. The satellite pictures of the Southern Hemisphere taken nine days apart show a diminishing 'frigid' air masse over East Antarctica. The image from July 26th clearly shows an arriving heat transfer over East Antarctica where the Blue Ice lives and a subsequent mingling of that heat transfer with that air masse hence resulting in a diminished capacity of 'coldness' as noted in the satellite picture of August 4th.

The top ice, 3 miles up is experiencing very frigid temperatures due to the temporal effects of seasons, however, the coastal areas are warm and melting. It is this highly turbulent difference in temperature on the continent along with the arriving equatorial heat transfers that have resulted in highly unpredictable and drastic weather.

New Zealand is not doing well economically either. Their government have noted a recession besetting the country. New Zealand's people are 'of concern' given their proximity to a dynamic Antarctica due to human induced global warming.


August 4, 2008
1316 gmt
Antarctica Satellite

The is grossly diminished frigid air over Antarctica. The heat transfers have been fast and furious with the diminished cooling capacity of the Arctic Ocean. The oceans have lost their mechanisms to cool the continents. The Arctic Ocean was the worlds 'ice cube.' It no longer exists in any significant capacity to prevent the 'super heating' of the continents.


August 3, 2008
0600 gmt
Anarctica Vortex/Jet Stream Satellite ( 7 day loop)


August 4, 2008
0900 AM utc
Antarctica Surface Winds (click here for 24 hour loop)


August 4, 2008
0900 AM
Antarctica Temperature Satellite

Vostok, Antarctica

Lat/Lon: 78.4° S 106.9° E

Local Time: August 4, 2008; 10:01 PM VOST
Temperature :: -81 °F / -63 °C
Conditions :: Clear
Humidity :: 36%
Dew Point :: -88 °F / -67 °C
Wind :: 14 mph / 22 km/h / from the WSW
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: in / hPa (Rising)
Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers
Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m
Flight Rule :: VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 14 mph / 22 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 250° (WSW)
Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m

Henry, Antarctica

Lat/Lon: 89.0° S 0.3° W

Local Time: Augsut 4, 2008; 4:03 PM GMT
Temperature :: -75 °F / -59 °C
Wind :: 15 mph / 24 km/h / from the NNE

Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: in / hPa (Rising)
Elevation :: 9039 ft / 2755 m
Flight Rule :: NA
Wind Speed :: 15 mph / 24 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 30° (NNE)
Ceiling:

Palmer Station, Antarctica

Lat/Lon: 64.8° S 64.1° W

Local Time: August 4, 2008; 12:03 PM CLT

Temperature :: 33 °F / 0 °C
Condtions :: Clear
Humidity :: 73%
Dew Point :: 28 °F / -2 °C
Wind :: 40 mph / 65 km/h /from the North
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: 29.32 in / 993 hPa (Rising)
Elevation :: 26 ft / 8 m
Flight Rule :: NA
Wind Speed :: 40 mph / 65 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 0° (North)
Ceiling :: -

Base San Martin, Antarctica

Lat/Lon: 68.1° S 67.1° W
Elevation :: 13 ft / 4 m

Local Time: August 4, 2008; 4:04 PM GMT
Temperture :: 36 °F / 2 °C
Conditions :: Overcast
Humidity :: 75%
Dew Point :: 31 °F / -1 °C
Wind :: 34 mph / 56 km/h / from the NW
Wind Gust ;; -
Pressure :: 29.18 in / 988 hPa (Falling)
Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers
UV :: 0 out of 16
Clouds :: Overcast 9843 ft / 3000 m
(Above Ground Level)
Elevation :: 13 ft / 4 m
Flight Rule :: VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 34 mph / 56 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 320° (NW)
Ceiling :: 9800 ft / 3000 m

The weather in Antarctica (Crystal Ice Chime) is perplexing.

Dutch K2 survivor describes chaos after avalanche

This is not to glamorize the danger, but, to raise awareness to the caution. K2 has regular fatalities. Previous to these deaths was the death of climbers in 2004.

K2 2004 started with 3 deaths (click here) before the Italian expedition even arrived at base camp with porters dying on the trek to the mountain. Early in June four South Koreans climbers and two Sherpas were caught in an avalanche on K2. One of the South Koreans Climbers was OK, and both Sherpas are fine, the other three Korean climbers were found dead at Base camp in their sleeping bags in a crevice. According to the Korea times, the names are Lee Hwa-hyong, 36, Kim Jae-yong, 35, and Pae Kyong-kyu, 34. All were part of the 11 members Korean team from POSCO steel.

Noted in the picture below is a sparcity of ice and snow. That is a real 'clue' to the chance of such a tragedy odds of occurrence. The K2 Summit is very steep. Due to that fact and the fact it has high wind exposure, it is actually more dangerous than Mt. Everest could ever be. There is no way any ice or snow accumulation would ever 'hold' to the mountain for long. So, although these are experienced climbers using every means of protection to secure their position on the face of K2, they ignored the opportunity for danger by ignoring potentials of falling ice and snow. In the year 2008, it is 'expected' the optimal climbing condtions for K2 would be free of snow and ice.


Wilco van Rooijen, of the Netherlands, was injured on the treacherous Himalayan peak.


This is the summit when snow covered. Noted the surrounding mountain has little snow or ice cover.

This is a borrowed picture to illustrate the absence of snow and ice at the K2 Summit. The reason for same is linked to the dense cloud cover. With clouds come insulating warmth that separates the summit, which is exposed to the sun, from the supporting colder climate below and vise versa.

This is 'in the shadows' of K2. There is a direct link between the 'cold climatability' of K2 at the summit and the ice rivers that exist in its shadow. The surrounding mountains have snow on the same side and have absense of same on the same side. Wind and climate play a huge roll in the stability of the ice and snow found at the summit. The summit interacts with the climate of the surrounding mountains.

The location of K2 brings climbers the view of many countries. From that vantage point all wars and conflicts seem hideous when one realizes 'the boundary lines' of sovereignty are truly 'manmade' and lack the reality of survival at the peak.

Tornadoes cause havoc and death on two continents

Ruins of houses after a tornado hit Hautmont, northern France. Photograph: Philippe Frutier/AFP/Getty Images

Lizzy Davies in Paris
The Guardian,
Tuesday August 5 2008

The bodies of a man and a woman were pulled from the wreckage of their home yesterday, after a tornado tore through northern France, ripping off roofs, overturning cars and destroying dozens of houses.
The couple were believed to be the deputy mayor of Hautmont, which was at the epicentre of the tornado near the Belgian border, and his wife.
Earlier the body of an elderly woman was also discovered. She was thought to have died when her home collapsed on top of her. Thirteen other people were injured.
Firefighters, medics and police searched two residential streets in the area yesterday to establish whether anyone else was buried under the rubble.
High winds and torrential rain lashed the region on Sunday night as the tornado swept through an area of about four square miles in less than two hours....

Lost in the wash (click here)
Cubs just can't catch up when game is called in 8th after 2 lengthy rain delays
By Brian Hamilton Chicago Tribune reporter
August 5, 2008
The clock on top of the venerable Wrigley Field scoreboard read 8:06 p.m. Monday when tornado sirens began to wail in the darkness. Action between the Cubs and Astros had been suspended already for nearly a half-hour.Then, minutes after the sirens howled, the wind started blowing out. Like, really out. Like carry-a-ball-to-the-Michigan-shoreline out.Rain pulled a U-turn within the stadium. Debris floated along a river of standing water on the warning track behind home plate.All of it giving a new, unsettling meaning to "It's Gonna Happen."...

Storms roar through northern Illinois (click here)
Associated Press - August 5, 2008 4:53 AM ET
CHICAGO (AP) - One man caught at Chicago's Wrigley Field during last night's powerful storm says he'd "never seen anything like it."
Fans at the Cubs-Houston Astros game were evacuated from the stands as intense lightning, fierce wind and a torrential downpour battered the ballpark.
The game was called off after 8 innings -- and two weather delays.
Tornado sirens blared in downtown Chicago, and hundreds of flights were canceled at O'Hare Airport, where travelers were moved to lower levels of the terminals for safety.
In two counties west of the city, there was widespread tree and power line damage from the fast-moving storm. Trained spotters reported what may have been tornadoes.
No serious injuries have been reported.
Commonwealth Edison says more than 200,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm.