First Snow and Some Climate Change

*** Late update.... See below for info. ***


Snow has indeed fallen over the Cape and Islands.  The storm stayed well off-shore so we won't be getting much more accumulation than the 3 or so inches we have now.  It's hard to remember that 2010 is the warmest year on record when out there moving this stuff around.  Three New England state also had their warmest year ever recorded.  This is an El Nino year as well, so with the obvious climate change and that compounding things we could be in for a good amount of storms and snow.

I remember the naysayers in college when we were looking at and studying acid rain and the sources of the cause in the mid-west.  After several years of regulation and control of pollutants, that trend has changed for the better.  Of course, there is this renewed push by corporations, people with lots of money, and a few nuts (tea baggers) that could negatively influence these positive changes put in place by the EPA and other agencies.  So, it may take some time, probably too much time, to get the human carbon use and atmospheric content down to 350 ppm where it is said to be not as influential on the climate, but it's a fight worth having.  Either way, the Earth will win over time.  We will eventually use up all of our resources to the detriment of many, many species.  There will be a peak in carbon content and then that figure will slowly decline.  Will we be around to see that extreme?  No. At least not the 'we' of right now.

Once again I encourage the viewing of my former college professor and BRILLIANT scientist (not to mention a pretty good musician) Curt Stager's talk on carbon emissions at this link.  Take the 45 minutes and listen to it.  It's quite good.

*** Curt's new blog SAVE THE CARBON: Long-term perspectives on environmental change, past, present, and future. ***


 
And now a few images from the snowy morning.