One of wind’s better days.

http://www.bmreports.com/bsp/bsp_home.htm

Georgia eyes coldest winter ever

By Pam Knox, University of Georgia
Feb. 8, 2011 7:44am

Cold temperatures and heavy snow crippled north Georgia in January. Despite heavier-than-normal snowfall, precipitation amounts were below normal, increasing drought conditions across the state.

Georgia’s temperature was significantly below normal last month. In Atlanta, the monthly average temperature was 40.2 degrees F (2.5 degrees below normal), in Athens 39.7 degrees (2.5 degrees below normal), Columbus 43.6 degrees (3.2 degrees below normal), Macon 42 degrees (3.5 degrees below normal), Savannah 45.1 degrees (4.1 degrees below normal), Brunswick 49.1 degrees (2.6 degrees below normal), Alma 44.9 degrees (6.8 degrees below normal), Valdosta 47.3 degrees (2.6 degrees below normal) and Augusta 41.7 degrees (3.1 degrees below normal).

If colder-than-normal temperatures continue into February, this winter could possibly set records for the coldest winter ever in some parts of Georgia. Record low temperatures were set at Macon, Savannah and Alma Jan. 14. Macon reported 16 degrees, breaking the old record of 19 degrees set that date in 1970. Savannah and Alma reported 18 degrees, surpassing the old records of 20 degrees set at both locations in 1964.

http://southeastfarmpress.com/management/georgia-eyes-coldest-winter-ever

h/t to Marc Morano

A new season of The History Channel’s show “Top Shot” starts tonight. Here are two of the contestants.

http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/

A month after Romanian authorities began taxing them for their trade, the country’s soothsayers and fortune tellers are cursing a new bill that threatens fines or even prison if their predictions don’t come true.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110208/D9L8LR4G1.html

With temperatures in New Mexico running only 25 degrees F below normal, people there are rightly concerned about a 0.6C rise in adjusted thermometer data over the last 160 years.

http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/products/maps/acis/MonthTDeptUS.png

The Vermont State Police in Rutland have reported a record number of “lost” skiers at Vermont ski resorts and backcountry ski areas since December. Heavy snowfall and whiteout conditions have added to the problem of skiers losing their ways on area mountain slopes. Luckily, there have been no fatalities on local ski trails to date.

http://www.denpubs.com/

h/t to Marc Morano

AUSTRALIA’S climate change policies will lead greenhouse gas emissions to balloon out of control in the next few years, the federal government says in an annual report to the United Nations.

Instead of the 5 to 25 per cent cut being offered by the government, the nation would pump out 24 per cent more carbon dioxide by 2020, the Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet, said, using the data to make the case again for a price on carbon.

http://www.smh.com.au

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=4728737&page=1

I took my dogs out for a bike ride around midnight last night. It had been snowing hard for several hours and temperatures were about 8F (-13C.) Amazingly, not a single car had driven over the snow anywhere in my neighborhood. The snow was perfect for cycling – consistent texture and not slippery.

As soon as cars get on it, the snow will get icy and bumpy.

According to US Navy PIPS2 maps, the area of thick Arctic ice has more than doubled, and the volume of Arctic ice has increased by 26% – since 2008. You can see from the graph below that ice thickness distribution has shifted dramatically to the right since the same date in 2008.

You can also see why NSIDC only likes to talk about 4+ year old ice. The reason being that it will take another two years to recover from the 2007 low.

The blink comparator below shows growth of ice greater than 2.5 metres thick.

Continue reading →