Margaret Munro, with files from Mike De Souza, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, May 15, 2008
A vast array of physical and biological systems -- from polar bears in the Arctic to tiny krill in the Southern Ocean -- are showing the effects of the world's rising temperature, say scientists who analysed more than 30,000 sets of data stretching back to 1970.
Shrinking glaciers, melting permafrost, earlier spring river runoff, and warmer water bodies point to pervasive physical changes, they say.
And earlier spring blossoms, bird migrations and altered distribution -- salmon showing up in the Arctic, the mountain pine beetle expanding into vast tracks of Western Canada's forests -- point to the many biological impacts....
May 17, 2008
1200
Antarctica Surface Winds (click here for animation)
The surface winds have increased in velocity due to the turbulence caused by the heat transfer at higher latitudes. The winds are primarily offshore over WAIS and onshore over East Antarctica where there are two smaller heat transfer systems arriving.
May 17, 2008
0600
Antarctica Vortex/Jet Stream
In animation (click here) there is noted a huge arrival of a heat transfer over the top Blue Ice on May 15, 2008 and lingering still. It reached across WAIS to the edges of Vostok. From the images below the location of the heat transfer matches the loss in frigid temperature over WAIS and the Blue Ice. Gone. The frigid air building is now completely gone.
Conditions at Clean Air, Antarctica in May, 2008
Conditions at Clean Air, Antarctica the past week
March 20, 3008
1311 gmt
Antarctica
The frigid cold over Antarctica had expanded quickly and temperatures at the coldest areas dropped dramatically, but, in a couple of days that seems to be beginning to reverse.
May 12, 2208
1324 gmt
Antarctica
May 17, 2008
1323 gmt
Antarctica - the frigid cold is beginning to shrink after its expansion
May 17, 2008
1200
Clean Air, Antarctica
May 15, 2008 at:11:04 AM GMT
Lat/Lon: 89.9° S 0.0° W
Temperature :: -76 °F / -60 °C
Visibility :: 3.6 miles / 5.7 kilometers
Conditions :: Snow
Clean Air, Antarctica
May 17, 2008 at 6:18 PM GMT
Lat/Lon: 89.9° S 0.0° W
Temperature :: -58 °F / -50 °C
Conditions :: Overcast
Windchill :: -87 °F / -66 °C
Wind :: 9 mph / 15 km/h / 4.1 m/s from the NNE
Pressure :: 28.62 in / 969 hPa (Steady)
Visibility :: 1.0 miles / 1.6 kilometers
UV :: 0 out of 16
Clouds :: Overcast 1500 ft / 457 m
(Above Ground Level)
Elevation :: 9285 ft / 2830 m
Flight Rule :: LIFR (NZSP)
Wind Speed :: 9 mph / 15 km/h / 4.1 m/s
Wind Dir :: 30° (NNE)
Ceiling :: 1500 ft / 457 m
Vostok, Antarctica
May 15, 2008
5:02 PM VOST
Lat/Lon: 78.4° S 106.9° E
Temperature :: -100 °F / -74 °C
Conditions :: Clear
Humidity :: 26%
Dew Point :: -107 °F / -77 °C
Wind :: 9 mph / 15 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 :: 9 mph / 15 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 240° (WSW)
Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m
Vostok, Antarctica
May 17, 2008
8:40 PM VOST
Lat/Lon: 78.4° S 106.9° E
Temperature :: -95 °F / -71 °C
Conditions :: Clear
Humidity :: 30%
Dew Point :: -102 °F / -74 °C
Wind :: 12 mph / 18 km/h from the SSW
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: in / hPa (Falling)
Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers
Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m
Flight Rule:
VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 12 mph / 18 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 200° (SSW)
Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m
