On May 7, 2:57?am, "Eisboch" wrote:
May 7th.

29 degrees.

I'd like to have a little talk with Al Gore.

Eisboch

See the NASA satellite photo at this site:

http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/qthinice.asp#4

The arctic ice has retreated, by quite a lot, in the last 25 or 30
years.
Without getting into a debate about whether man has any ability to
pollute or otherwise despoil his environment, increasing frequency and
severity of weird weather- locally hot or cold, locally wet or dry,
can be an indicator that the weather engine of the planet is becoming
overheated.

Our customary weather patterns are generated by the movement of wind
and water in response to temperature differences at the poles vs. the
equator. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to appreciate that when
the relationship changes so will the way in which winds and currents
circulate. The meltoff of the actic ice accelerates the warming
process at the poles- less ice to reflect solar energy allows more
heat to enter the water, thereby increasing melt and
reducing the ice even more.

So, whether the combustion of fossil fuel has anything to do with it
or not, or whether cow farts, volcanoes, or photosynthesis are to
blame, and regardless of the fact that the climate has changed before
the global climate is changing again. The current change is happening
much faster than most in geologic history. *If* current trends
continue we will see unprecedented rates of change, with dramatic
climate shifts within the span of a single human lifetime.

Contrary as it sounds, a snow storm in a normally temperate climate in
May or June can be a confirmation rather than a refutation of the
global warming situation.

As boaters, we are in a class of folks that probably includes farmers,
house painters, etc....... we're more tuned in to weather than most
people. I suspect that just as we marvel at how much technology has
changed in the last few decades we will soon be marveling at how much
the climate has changed in a similar period of time.