Subject: This is very important. Its about NAO Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 01:19:14 -0500 From: "Jeff Sharts" <jws479{at}global2000.net> Before i copy and paste the stuff I found about NAO. I found stuff on NAO that found very interesting and important. NAO actually effects climates as far east as ASIA. It causes water temps to rise and fall in certain areas. Also we could be looking at increased dry weather over the central and east U.S. because of NAO. I also have a few links showing a graphic of what NAO does. Want to know what is causing wet weather in europe? hot and dry conditions in the south last year? only 2 hurricanes hitting the U.S? all of this is one simple answer NAO!!!!! Most of you think with la nina in placewe will see more hurricanes in fact we may see very little because of NAO. Well here is the links--->>http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~cullen/cover_page_4.html >>http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~cullen/NAO_global_impacts.html Below is the article.... For many of the past 15 years, a recurring pressure pattern has resulted in milder than normal winters and springs in Europe. After El Nino, this pressure pattern is one of the most dominant modes of global climate variability, and is less poetically referred to as the North Atlantic Oscillation (pronouned en-ay-oh). In a diary which he kept in Greenland during the years 1770-78, the missionary Hans Egede Saabye made the following observation: "In Greenland, all winters are severe, yet they are not alike. The Danes have noticed that when the winter in Denmark was severe, as we perceive it, the winter in Greenland in its manner was mild, and conversely." This temperature see-saw is now known to be a manifestation of the NAO. The high index winter/springs of 1989, 1990, and 1995, were caused by a net displacement of air from over the Arctic and Icelandic regions towards the subtropic belt near the Azores and the Iberian peninsula, and had strengthened westerlies over the North Atlantic ocean. Stronger westerlies bring more warm moist air over the European continent and gives rise to milder maritime winters. The low index winter/springs of 1917, 1936, 1963, and 1969 had weaker mean westerlies over the North Atlantic ocean with corresponding colder than normal European winters. The strengthened or weakened westerlies over the North Atlantic are also known to play a major role in controlling the oceanic ecosystems and ultimately North Atlantic fish stocks. After more than 100 years of scientific research, the fundamental mechanisms behind the variability of the North Atlantic Oscillation still remain intriguing mysteries. Some things are however becoming clearer. For example, it appears that the link between the notorious bad boy of the tropical Pacific, El Nino, and his nordic cousin, the NAO, is relatively weak. It is also becoming clearer that some of the current day climate models are showing some encouraging ability to make probabilistic forecasts of the NAO a season ahead. What is not clear is why the NAO has become more positive over the last 30 years and there is some speculation that this may be a sign of human induced global warming. On the other hand, it could merely be natural climate variability controlled by the giant dynamo-like gyres in the North Atlantic ocean. This question is currently being adressed by by analysing long simulations of the NAO using state-of-the-art climate models running on the world's fastest supercomputers. Because of its climatic importance, the NAO is currently generating intense scientific interest and this will undoubtably lead to further advances in our understanding of this intriguing phenomenon. Wel as you all can see it may be talking about europe it effects the U.S. and other countries the same. Dy and warm to wet and cold. Interesting stuff... --Jeff Sharts