The New Normal : Climate Models Say That Georgia May Get Wetter Or Drier Or Stay The Same

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Tony Heller

Climate change

When you have regular droughts or ones over a 15-year span, when does it stop being an abnormal weather pattern and become your new climate?

That’s a tough question to answer. Stooksbury said this weather pattern is similar to one Georgia experienced from the mid-1920s through the mid-1930s, so it could be part of a periodic cycle.

Or it could indicate the new direction the Southeastern climate is headed. Climatologists won’t be able to tell for about 10 more years.

“Our computer models don’t help us on this,” Stooksbury said. “That’s one of the frustrations. The computer long-term climate models for the Southeast are all over the place. Some have us wetter, some drier. Some have us wetter but with much more variability.”

Marshall Shepherd, director of the Atmospheric Sciences program at the University of Georgia, pointed to Columbia University research after the drought that ended in 2008.

“The frequency and perhaps intensity of droughts is consistent with what models say would occur with climate change,” he said.

“There is likely some shift in our climate that is occurring and creating new norms,” said Tom Mote, head of the UGA Geography department. “(The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) recently released its new 30-year climate normals, and ours are now warmer and drier than they were.”

Repeated droughts taking toll on midstate | Local & State | Macon.com

About Tony Heller

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7 Responses to The New Normal : Climate Models Say That Georgia May Get Wetter Or Drier Or Stay The Same

  2. Jimbo says:
    July 13, 2013 at 8:46 pm

    Here ya go Steve. All 3 from peer reviewed literature using the great global warming models. 🙂
    Sahel to get less rain
    Sahel to get more rain
    Sahel to get more or less rain

    Reply
  3. Jeffk says:
    July 13, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    Georgia had exceptional drought last year. This year they’re normal. Climate patterns shift around all the time largely decided by jet stream and El Niño La Niña.
    If manmade pollution has effect, it’s more likely regular air pollution in China, adjacent the Himalayas. Topography of Himalayas has had long term effects on jetstream patterns. Now with air pollution and urban heat islands in China, that may be the biggest factor.
    Nothing to do with CO2. Just old fashioned air pollution from “progressive” development, industrialization and birth control/abortions in China.

    Reply
  4. Curt says:
    July 14, 2013 at 2:17 am

    What they have really been lacking in Georgia recently is some hurricanes and tropical storms that they usually depend on to fill up the reservoirs. Of course, if they get some this year, that will be blamed on climate change as well…

    Reply
  5. rocknblues81 says:
    July 14, 2013 at 4:53 am

    It’s been nice and wet down here. A cool year altogether. I’ve loved every bit of it!

    Reply

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