Interesting article in several papers and elsewhere (various climate blogs) attributing our recent cold spell to "Global Warming/Climate Change/Climate Disruption.
www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/20/uk-snow-global-warming
www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1341388/Global-warming-Britain-longer-colder-winters-melting-sea-ice-plays-havoc-weather-patterns.html
to name but 2 sources.
However, a crucial part of the artcle states that
"The open sea, being darker, absorbed more heat from the sun in the warmer, light months. As it remained clear for longer than usual it also bled more heat into the Arctic atmosphere. This caused higher air pressures, reducing the gradient between the Iceland low and the Azores high." (Guardian)
"As the Arctic ice cap has melted the heat from the relatively-warm seawater escapes into the colder atmosphere above, creating an area of high pressure." (Mail)
I've waded through the 1680 comments on the Guardian site (got up early!) and nobody has asked or answered what seems to be a crucial question:-
How does heat rising into the atmosphere cause HIGH pressure? Surely it would cause LOW pressure?
It's the process that causes tropical storms, thunderstorms etc - low pressure phenomena - isn't it?
So can you erudite people, fuelled by an excess of Christmas spirit, explain the logic to me of how putting heat into the atmosphere causes high pressure?
Phil
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Q on "Global Warming" article new
Q on "Global Warming" article new