# No, this is not "beautiful weather" -- it's creepy and wrong **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 19, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877 "2015-12-19T22:00:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/101 "2015-12-24T06:26:13Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Climate change cannot be singled out as responsible for the unusually warm weather in much of the country this Nov.-Dec., any more than it was responsible for the “polar vortex” and subzero temps we had in the past two winters. > > Long-term patterns, OK - short-term anomalies, nope. I’m not sure if you were responding to me, but just to clarify, the paper I cited makes no such claim. What it does show is evidence that global warming from greenhouse gases is linked to stronger ENSO cycles – that is, both El Ninos and La Ninas are likely on average to become more extreme. There are more recent papers that show the same results, and climate models that support it. This is consistent with the fact that changes in regional and global ocean and atmospheric circulation systems is the signature characteristic of anthropogenic climate forcing. > [@Orwell](#): > > Be careful of confirmation bias, as well as imaging trends that aren’t there. Data doesn’t show abnormal numbers of droughts, tornadoes or hurricanes, even though media and hype might lead one to think otherwise. Not true. Climate and weather are complicated so it’s always possible to cherry-pick examples that contradict the well-established linkage between climate change and extreme weather. There’s no overall trend for more hurricanes, for instance, because the same factors that energize them may also paradoxically discourage their formation because of factors like wind shear and other atmospheric dynamics, but warmer sea surface temperatures are the lifeblood of hurricanes that they’ve generally been producing hurricanes with a stronger overall Power Dissipation Index which is a good indicator of damage potential. Tornadoes aren’t closely linked to these extreme weather events and I don’t know anyone who’s claimed that they are. What we’re seeing are hotter and colder temperature extremes and sustained periods of unusual weather accompanied by unusual circulation systems are becoming the norm. We’re seeing trends in greater precipitation, greater damage from storm surges, and greater damage from floods, droughts, and wildfires. Again, one could naively look at the wrong stats and conclude that the _number_ of droughts hasn’t increased much worldwide, but the problem is that dry spells are getting dryer and flood events are getting more extreme, and that’s where the damage is occurring. The fact is that a pretty strong linkage exists between rapidly forced planetary warming and climate instability, including short-term and long-term changes in major circulation systems and precipitation changes that disrupt local climates. It exists in observations and in models, and it’s been documented [again](https://www.climatecommunication.org/new/features/extreme-weather/overview/) and [again](http://www.ipcc-wg2.gov/SREX/) and [again](http://www.c2es.org/newsroom/articles/scientific-american-series-extreme-weather-climate-change). The insurance industry is one sector t[that’s taking it very seriously](http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/21/3649244/insurance-climate-change-disaster-relief/), and so is [the government and the US military](https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/National_Security_Implications_of_Changing_Climate_Final_051915.pdf) and [global reinsurance organizations](http://www.munichre.com/en/group/focus/climate-change/strategic-approach/risk-assessment/physical-impacts-climate-change/long-term-changes/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/102 "2015-12-24T06:42:24Z")
Please! I truly sympathize with all of you who came from some place warm and were looking forward to cold temps and snow; but please I am begging you! May I just have this one mild shorter Winter? I have lived in New England all my life and trust me you are going to get so much snow and cold weather you will be delighted. I love Winter and cold temps and snow. But after so many years of heavy snow and shoveling and shoveling and more shoveling I am so grateful for this little respite. One recent year it started snowing in Mid October and did not stop until March or April. :eek: New England Winters can seem to be very very long. By February of a normal year you’ll be looking at the prices for flights to warmer climes just to escape for a week. I can not afford to go anywhere warm even for a week.☹ ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/103 "2015-12-25T15:17:55Z")
> [@CT\_Damsel](#): > > One recent year it started snowing in Mid October and did not stop until March or April. :eek: New England Winters can seem to be very very long. They don’t seem very long, they \*\*are \*\*very long. When it snows steadily from mid-November through the end of March, that’s a lot longer than 3 months long regardless of what the calendar says. When it begins or ends earlier than that, it’s even longer. If we only get a 3 month long winter this year, it’ll be one of the few my entire life. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/104 "2015-12-26T23:04:30Z")
It’s been raining a lot this Fall/Winter. E.g., we got more than the average November rainfall in the first week. I dumped out the rain gauge on Tuesday night. 6.5" in about 2 weeks. More rain and then more rain and then more. All night Wed. until Thurs. noon we had a non-stop thunderstorm. Xmas: old high: 71, new record 75. Because of the humidity we had turn on the AC. On Xmas. Checked the gauge this am. Overflowed with 7"+. More rain starting tomorrow. Thunderstorms on Mon until ??? The ground is so saturated and the air so warm rain clouds pop up just because. Happy Soaking New Year. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/105 "2015-12-28T03:12:59Z")
I understand there’s a major blizzard occurring in Texas right now, so be careful what you wish for! Heard West Texas is about to beat the January 1983 blizzard, and I remember that one. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/106 "2015-12-28T03:50:57Z")
December 27 should not be shorts weather in Virginia! It is in fact creepy and wrong. My 4 year niece confided in me, in that solemn way 4 years olds have, that she really really wants snow. My nephew (11) told me how concerned he was about rising sea levels due to global warming. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/107 "2015-12-28T15:13:48Z")
My “On this day’ on Facebook reminded me that we got 31” of snow a few years back so I am thankful for this warm weather. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/108 "2015-12-28T15:20:21Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > > [@CT\_Damsel](#): > > > > One recent year it started snowing in Mid October and did not stop until March or April. :eek: New England Winters can seem to be very very long. > > They don’t seem very long, they \*\*are \*\*very long. When it snows steadily from mid-November through the end of March, that’s a lot longer than 3 months long regardless of what the calendar says. When it begins or ends earlier than that, it’s even longer. If we only get a 3 month long winter this year, it’ll be one of the few my entire life. I’m down south now, with only three seasons, but I still remember the four seasons of the far northeast: Almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/109 "2015-12-29T13:48:54Z")
Temperatures since the start of the month have been about 13C (55F) by night and 15-16C (60F) by day almost constantly here in England. It’s getting very boring. Not even a ground frost all month, and we are further north than most of the population of Canada! Meanwhile further north in England the rain keeps on and several towns and cities are under water. Apparently we are due a frost on New Year’s Day. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/110 "2015-12-29T14:00:37Z")
The Weather Channel’s forecast for my part of Maryland continues to lack snow through January 12. I’m starting to believe that this whole “winter” thing is completely made-up. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/111 "2015-12-29T22:53:37Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > I’m so sick of the weatherbeasts here on the East Coast exclaiming over this “beautiful weather” and expressing chagrin when it actually feels like December (as it does today, however briefly). > > You know what? This is _not_ beautiful weather – it’s unnatural, creepy, and indicative of very frightening climate problems. It Is Not A Gift From Mother Nature!\*\* This weather been like this for long time. Starts to snow and get cold in late December or January. And when April comes around people walking out side with t-shirt on and no Jacket. It not hotter or colder than it was before. ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/112 "2015-12-29T23:15:08Z")
Anyone who feels the winter has not been wintry enough for them is free to stop by my house, where I spent the afternoon shoveling about six inches of snow with a delightful inch-thick crust of ice on top of it. To add to the fun, the freezing rain continued all day to make the roads a skating rink. I did enjoy watching cars slip and slide around the curve in the road, though, that made for some entertainment while I chipped the ice off my car and attempted to make the driveway usable again. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/113 "2015-12-29T23:39:08Z")
Asimovian - you should have stayed here. Cold as hell, frost on the grass in the mornings. 59 degrees **in the middle of the day**. Weather. Bah. Humans should not have to live in temperatures this low. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/114 "2015-12-30T00:50:42Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Asimovian - you should have stayed here. Cold as hell, frost on the grass in the mornings. 59 degrees **in the middle of the day**. It wouldn’t have mattered. Lack of winter follows me wherever I go. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/115 "2015-12-30T01:03:42Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > The Weather Channel’s forecast for my part of Maryland continues to lack snow through January 12. I’m starting to believe that this whole “winter” thing is completely made-up. 😕 What is this “winter” of which you speak? Is it akin to when it drops to 70 degrees in Bangkok and all the residents bundle up like for an Arctic expedition? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/116 "2015-12-30T16:29:49Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > It wouldn’t have mattered. Lack of winter follows me wherever I go. :mad: Please move to New Hampshire. There’s snow here now. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/117 "2015-12-30T16:47:54Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Please move to New Hampshire. There’s snow here now. Sorry. After the cross-country relocation with the cats this summer, my wife and I have decided that we’re never, ever moving again. Ever. ETA: **Siam Sam** , Bangkok sounds a lot like LA. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/118 "2015-12-30T19:01:43Z")
Late to the thread but I recently heard a meteorologist from NOAA or somewhere saying that, in his opinion, global warming has little or nothing to do with the current weather patterns in the U.S. Its the tightly coiled (my terminology) polar vortex. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/119 "2015-12-30T19:03:57Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > It wouldn’t have mattered. Lack of winter follows me wherever I go. :mad: That’s why you should have stayed here. Not for your sake, but ours. 49 degrees today in Long Beach. **49!!!** ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877/120 "2015-12-30T19:38:09Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Asimovian - you should have stayed here. Cold as hell, frost on the grass in the mornings. 59 degrees **in the middle of the day**. > > Weather. Bah. Humans should not have to live in temperatures this low. ‘59 degrees’ ‘temperatures this low’ Bahahahahaha! It’s currently 21 here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-this-is-not-beautiful-weather-its-creepy-and-wrong/740877.md?page=7)