Live data from Hacker News

European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

wcd.copernicus.org

91–100 of 120 posts

Re: European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

#92
post #60
post #22

The issue with climate change is exactly that: change. Doesn't matter if it get colder, dryer, wetter, warmer than it used too. It is a huge undertaking to change the built environment to handle conditions that were once seen as exceptional. Houses, streets and waterways are normally replaced/adjusted on the scale of multiple decades or even centuries. Significant climate change is affecting areas everywhere on a sin…

This sounds great for GDP!

Not really. It means spending money rebuilding things just to maintain productivity is instead of investing in productivity multipliers.

It’s the difference between going into debt for medical school versus going into debt to pay the high interest your loan shark demands after you ran up gambling debts.

Re: European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

#93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to point out that Europe IS restoring local habitats and species, see e.g. brown bears and wolves, which used to be essentially extinct in mid/western Europe. But I also think your argument is much weaker than it feels ; why, actually, should the sins of your ancestors undermine your actions in the present? Is it misguided if the Italians of today act againt slavery and human trafficking because slavery was…

So in Russia there's this Pleistocene Park, which is a part of tundra where grazing animals are left to be in hopes of recovering the ancient arctic steppe landscape. I hope they still exist and get some finance in the current polit-economical climate. Nothing prevents the EU from buying a large amount of Indonesian lands (Brazil, etc) and making it a Orangutan paradise. Like a national park but this time actually in…

Wild boars are neither endangered, nor are they native to Norway, so those do not detract from conservationist efforts in any way.

Buying land abroad is simply not a feasible approach to prevent deforestation, for multiple reasons:

1) Prohibitive cost: Foreign actor is not interested in owning like 5% of the deforesting countries total land area-- he wants to spend the money for preservation, not to become a titanic landowner.

2) No legislative/executive power: Naked ownership is insufficient in preventing deforestation especially in less politically stable nations.

3) Sovereignity: Do you honestly think that countries would just sell high single or even double digit percentages of their total land area to foreign governments? This is a political powder keg...

Re: European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

#94

Summary: More ice melt => More fresh water in the Atlantic => cold surface anomalies in winter => sub-polar winter storms => heatwaves in Europe in summer Mostly not predicted as models do not have fine enough grid resolution to show the movement of freshwater into the Atlantic, which happens via "narrow" channels.

Actually, quite a few of this is predicted just not with full certainty. One thing people forget is that Europe is very warm compared to most of Northern America which for the same latitude features much harsher temperatures in the winter. Most of Northern Europe isn't like most of Siberia or Canada (e.g. Berlin where I live is at the same latitude as Newfoundland. Toronto is almost 9 degrees further south. Winters a…

Europe is to Eurasia what the Pacific NorthWest is to North America.

Re: European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

#95
post #8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We've been breaking 40 C numerous times these past two months... look for better buildings if you can. https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2021-01-25/making-your-h... https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-15/home-design-changing-...

Buildings in northern Europe are just not built for ventilation, AC and dealing with heat. It’s not a matter of looking, that’s just not how people build here (just like people in Israel don’t build building that handle cold weather well).

At least in Finland modern apartment blocks are really the worst, much worse than 100 year old wooden houses. Usually they are built to maximize constructor profits, with bad floorplan that makes that any kind of airflow through the apartment by opening windows impossible. No AC of course, and concrete walls which preserve lots of heat.

Re: European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

#97
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, can't you run some heat pumps in reverse and use them as air conditioners? So there might be a natural path to taming the problem as heating systems are replaced for end of life reasons.

Yes, air source heat pumps (mini or multi split systems) in particular. Unfortunately most houses in northern Europe are obsolete and plumbed for radiators so people tend to opt for systems that heat water instead of upgrading to something that offers cooling as well.

Can you cool the water to the radiators? Or will that just lead to condensation and mold?

Re: European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

#98
post #64
post #22

The issue with climate change is exactly that: change. Doesn't matter if it get colder, dryer, wetter, warmer than it used too. It is a huge undertaking to change the built environment to handle conditions that were once seen as exceptional. Houses, streets and waterways are normally replaced/adjusted on the scale of multiple decades or even centuries. Significant climate change is affecting areas everywhere on a sin…

Sufficient impact to require rebuilding houses or other buildings on a single decade scale? I cannot see that sort of rapid rebuilding anywhere I know. I live in a house that is about 60 years old. I have friends who live in houses centuries old. Not come across anyone who needs to change very much to cope with climate change, apart from things to reduce emissions (mostly installing heat pumps can be difficult) The b…

Anyone living in a flood plane will have had to have made changes or not be insured.

Flash flooding is getting worse in the UK, partly because of climate change (look at how wet February was for south east UK) but also because a lot of urban areas are being paved over.

but to a throw away comment:

> installing heat pumps can be difficult

Yes, yes they can be, but also they also are not the cheapest way to save carbon.

Insulation makes a much bigger impact, that includes external wall insulation, and better glazing. its up to 2x cheaper.

Re: European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

#99
post #55

Summary: More ice melt => More fresh water in the Atlantic => cold surface anomalies in winter => sub-polar winter storms => heatwaves in Europe in summer Mostly not predicted as models do not have fine enough grid resolution to show the movement of freshwater into the Atlantic, which happens via "narrow" channels.

That movie The Day After Tomorrow had a really cool visualisation for all that. The movie was released exactly 20 years ago...

Didn't the world freeze over in that film?

Re: European summer weather linked to North Atlantic freshwater anomalies

#100
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That movie The Day After Tomorrow had a really cool visualisation for all that. The movie was released exactly 20 years ago...

Didn't the world freeze over in that film?

Indeed, it started a new ice age in the movie. I think the general lesson was that disruptions to currents gets us major headaches.
Post reply on HN