Print 15 comment(s) - last by Polynikes.. on Feb 6 at 1:36 PM

Researchers at the NOAA make a positive observation about the global ocean temperature going up

While opposing factions wage war over global warming and what calamities it might bring upon the earth, research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on ocean temperature and land-falling hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean seems to indicate that a globally warmer ocean may actually produce fewer killer storms.

In an article published in Geophysical Research Letters, physical oceanographer and climate scientist Chunzai Wang of NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory explains that the effects of a warmer tropical oceans region have reduced the number of storms reaching the U.S. mainland.

"Using data extending back to the middle nineteenth century," Wang writes, "we found a gentle decrease in the trend of U.S. land-falling hurricanes when the global ocean is warmed up. This trend coincides with an increase in vertical wind shear over the tropical North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, which could result in fewer U.S. land-falling hurricanes." He goes on to say "the vertical wind shear is not the only factor affecting Atlantic hurricane activity, although it is an important one."

While warming in the North Atlantic Ocean decreases the vertical wind shear in the main Atlantic hurricane development region which lies between the 10th and 20th degree latitudes between Central America and Africa, warming in the tropical Pacific and Indian oceans increase it. The impact from the warming of the Pacific and Indian regions overshadow the North Atlantic's, producing a greater wind shear effect in the tropical Atlantic over all. The higher level of wind shear helps to suppress storm formation and reduces the number of hurricanes that trundle into U.S. soil.

Wang's team's observations were made on data collected on sea surface temperatures from 1854 to 2006 and show an almost global warming trend.

Though future global warming may increase Atlantic hurricane activity, overall storm production will likely be effected strongly by the sustained long-term warming of the global oceans. While, as Wang states earlier, wind shear is an important factor in storm formation, other components such as sea surface temperatures, sea level pressure and atmospheric humidity also play a role.

These may all change in ways unknown if a warming climate trend continues globally.

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RE: Yes, but ...
By masher2 (blog) on 1/25/2008 2:20:01 PM , Rating: 5
> "We must cool the ocean, so the storms may rage ..."

They're already preparing for that eventuality, with articles demonstrating that hurricanes are necessary for "coastal accretion":

If it could be shown that human activity is decreasing hurricane counts, you can expect to see protests as a result.

RE: Yes, but ...
By i4mt3hwin on 1/25/2008 3:09:02 PM , Rating: 5
I remember reading someplace about forest fires and this type of thing. Basically humans try to prevent forest fires or put them out whether they are naturally caused or intentionally. But, if these smaller fires were to happen more frequently the ground brush would be cleared and less "huge" fires would occur, like the ones we see in California and stuff.

Seems to me like nature knows best, if we do effect the environment that greatly nature will have a way to counteract it.

These people seem to think natures always been one way, but there is plenty of proof that isn't true, so why try to keep it one way?

RE: Yes, but ...
By Hawkido on 1/25/2008 4:27:28 PM , Rating: 2
If you know many foreesters they will tell you the same...

Most forresters feel that wild fires are natures way of clearing the "Deadfall" off in increments. if 20 years of deadfall were to burn off at once the forrest would not survive. But if the deadfall burnt every 7 years there would not be enough accumulation to harm the trunks or roots of the trees. Plus the fires scourge the insects and fungi that prey on the trees of the forest. Kinda like the forrest's natural disinfectant.

RE: Yes, but ...
By Screwballl on 1/28/2008 12:14:00 PM , Rating: 3
This is exactly how it is.
A perfect example is in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The econuts got the forest service to stop clearing dead brush and using these small controlled burned to clear stuff out. The past few years saw several huge fires that caused massive amounts of damage to the area and threat to life because of the extra amount of dead matter sitting around. The forest service has since restarted its brush clearing program to hopefully reduce the large fires and keep them contained much quicker and easier. the problem is it will take them at least a decade just to catch up and get things thinned and cleared out to pre-econut levels.

RE: Yes, but ...
By Polynikes on 2/6/2008 1:36:57 PM , Rating: 2
All the rich hippies in Beverly Hills don't want their houses burned down, so we fight fires.

