Snow Leopard

Hi Everyone, not been on here for a while Winter rubber going onto the cars in two weeks from now, Snow shovels, brushes and gear already in the boot...so bring it on

While reading through the Arctic Sea Ice and Analysis page on NSIDC I came across this paragraph: Conditions in context Arctic sea ice loss slowed down in late July through early August; then over the past week, the rate of ice loss sped up. At present there is more ice than at the same time in 2007, which saw the record minimum September extent. Data from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer – Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) sensor, processed by the University of Bremen, show ice tracking near 2007 levels. The AMSR-E instrument can detect small but widespread areas of open water within the ice pack in the Beaufort and East Siberian seas, because of its resolution (6.25 kilometers or 3.88 miles). Normally, NSIDC uses data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F17 Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS). F17 provides a longer time series of data, but at a 25-kilometer (15.5-mile) resolution. Does this mean that they are now using a satellite with a higher resolution and comparing the data with measurements taken from a satellite with a lower resolution. Surely that cannot be correct? I have emailed the NSIDC asking the same but have not had a response yet.

Also went up to the Pentlands and saw nothing. Some did though, there is at least one photo posted on Spaceweather from a bloke in Edinburgh that managed to see it here. He did say that it was very faint to the naked eye and the colours only really showed up on the camera.

Late Autumn (Sept/Oct)is when I switch to my winter tyres. Never needed winter rubber until 3-4 years ago. Last year I went even further and bought chains. Used them maybe 3-4 times over the last winter which was another first for me. All things being equal I have noticed that where I could get by with 4x4 drive on summer tyres over my regular routes in the highlands though the 1990's and early 2000's, I cannot now get through without my winter gear.....Just a casual observation.

Oh dear. OK, please tell me what is the source or reference for that graph and has it been peer reviewed and validated. I think the thing that bothers me most is the word "reconstructed" in that graph. This means "man-made" or "engineered", not measured. And if we are talking about quantifiable data sets it makes them by definition invalid.

I am sorry, I normally keep quiet on these forums as there are waaaay too many posts that are based on personal opinions rather than hard data. But how on this good earth can you say that '07 was a step change? Statiscically that to me looks like an outlier and, if anything, the movement trend is upwards.

Interesting article: Link here

Not necessarily, recent science paper I read suggests that the last Scottish Ice Cap formed in about 400 years. Please note that glaciers form well before this, withing the first 50-100 years after intitial cooling. For those interested the paper was : High-resolution numerical simulation of Younger Dryas glaciation in Scotland by N.R Golledge, A. Hubbard and D.E Sugden and published by the British Geological Survey

If Winters were consistently very cold I think you would just adapt, get used to it and then just get on with life as normal. I was in Saskatchewan in Canada a few years ago with temps at -35c and 6 feet of lying snow. People were still driving, kids going to school etc, they just get on with it. I was up at Lake Tahoe in January when they had 24 inches of snow in 24 hours, again people were still driving etc. It took the local authorities about 3 hours to scrape and grit the roads after which we were out again, albeit with snow chains, snow boots, skidoos etc. I think a local example of this is the high winds we get in Edinburgh City (for a metropolitan area anyway). Whats not ended up in the Forth a long time ago will stay put

I was up in Crieff over the weekend and confirm that there were some pretty good falls on the hills around the town. I would say down to about 400ft asl on Saturday morning. Not accurate though, just going roughly by the contour lines.

Been light rain here on and off for the morning but its just turned very sleety in a heavier burst. Some wet snow earlier above about 400ft.

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately bound by my sons school holidays so will just have to cope with the crowds High and North I think it needs to be then. Canadian Rockies maybe?

First post on this thread and was wondering if anyone can help me. If I want to go skiing in the spring, eg April, where would I still find good skiing conditions in Europe/North America? If anyone is interested in any tips, I spent a week in Northstar at Tahoe over the Christmas period. Great place, they had 96 inches of snow over 7 days last month.

Love that, not seen it before.

Yep, been snowing heavily here in Edinburgh for about 20 min. Beginning to lie on grass and cold surfaces. Forth streamer perhaps..... Temps are forecast to drop and if this lot freezes its going to be an interesting commute. Watch out for ice everyone and stay safe!

Had a brief snow shower here at the Gyle, East of the City, about 10 min ago. Wife says it snowed in town as well. Started off as rain but easily went to sleet and then snow as it got heavier. Friend report lying snow in Bonnyrigg Blizzard conditions now at Dreghorn, can see it on Traffic Scotland

Interesting read. West Antarctic Ice Sheet May Not Be Losing Ice As Fast As Once Thought If its been posted elsewhere mods, please delete.

Its going to get colder, and thats a lot worse than getting warmer.

Just posted this link on the Antarctic thread but probably more relevant here. Shows that Arctic ice loss has happened in the past as well, its just not so well recorded. In 1922 an expedition by the Norwegian Department of Commerce reported large scale ice loss all the way up to 81.5 degrees north. See how far north on a map, just for interest. Anyway this is from the NOAA archive no less. 1922 Arctic Expedition- Please also read the comment from Capt Martin Ingebrigtsen, very interesting as well.

Oh Dear..... OK, just for fun: 1. Global sea ice levels are now actually higher than they were in 1979/80 - thanks to NOAA But seeing that the focus here seems to be the Northern Hemisphere lets have a look at Greenland and the Arctic. 2. Arctic - Read the books about Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen, he officially travelled further north in open water than anyone. This occurred in 1893 in a kayak. Unfortunately no satellites around at the time - More recently in 1922 an expedition by the Norwegian Department of Commerce reported large scale ice loss all the way up to 81.5 degrees north. See how far north on a map, just for interest. Anyway this is from the NOAA archive no less. 1922 Arctic Expedition- And while I am here please do read the comment from Capt Martin Ingebrigtsen, very interesting comment as well. 3. Greenland - Ice sheet contracted significantly during the middle ages : Alley P, Mayewski P, Peel D, Stauffer B (1996). "Twin Ice Cores From Greenland Reveal History of Climate Change" - Previous colonisation of a warmer Greenland by the Vikings : Vikings - Greenland warmer during the Medieval Warm Period than now : Wagner, B. and Melles, M. 2001. "A Holocene seabird record from Raffles So sediments, East Greenland, in response to climatic and oceanic changes." Anyway I will stop there. There is a lot more, but instead I think I would rather make the point that the subject is vastly more complex than most make it out to be. PS: Has anyone noticed that the Arctic has recorded a record recovery in sea ice in '08/'09 PPS: Sorry mods, just seen focus of my post is not antarctic, feel free to move it as appropriate.

From what I have read overall Antarctic ice is increasing (IPCC calls it "variable" and "no significant trend") Is this widely reported, NO? There is ample evidence that similar melting events have happened in recent history at both poles as well as in Greenland. Is this widely reported, NO.

Biased reporting at its best. Anyone see this article in the Telegraph which was pretty much buried at the time. Climate Change Chicanery

And also turned to rain here in the last few minutes.

Just changed to heavy sleet now for the first time.

Seems like Dundee is finally getting some good snow. Happy for you all.