Freak Pattern Brings Europe Record Cold and Snow

Published: December 20th, 2010

Originally published on Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog

One of the fiercest beginnings to winter on record has slammed Europe with relentless assaults of bitter cold and heavy snowfalls. The unusually wintry weather gripping Europe as well as the cold plaguing the eastern United States are linked by a historically strong weather system locked over Greenland.

Map of atmospheric pressure departures from average (geopotential height anomalies) from December 1 to 18, 2010. Credit: NOAA.

In Europe, the strange weather pattern has caused mayhem for holiday travel. Over the weekend, airport and ground transportation disruptions were widespread, from London's Heathrow Airport - one of the world's busiest hubs - to Frankfurt International Airport and the German Autobahn. According to the The Guardian newspaper, Frankfurt airport workers resorted to dressing up as angels in an attempt to calm the situation when crowds of stranded passengers, frustrated by lengthy delays and flight cancellations, became unruly. Heathrow, meanwhile, was closed to arriving aircraft on Sunday, after being closed altogether on Saturday, according to several news reports. More heavy snow is forecast for London yet again today according to the UK Met Office.

BAA spokesman Andrew Teacher told CNN: "These are absolutely ... freak weather conditions ... We've not seen a storm like this in 20 years."

So what has been causing this freak winter weather onslaught in Europe, and the colder-than-average conditions in much of the eastern U.S., including Washington?

There is a very strong "blocking pattern" in place over Greenland, which is helping to steer a parade of storms into the British Isles and mainland Europe, while pumping abnormally mild air into portions of the Canadian Arctic. In short — the atmosphere is jammed up like the Beltway at rush hour. Storm systems have nowhere to go, and are doing weird loop-de-loops up into the Canadian Maritimes, and even off the coast of the Pacific Northwest.

Read the full post at Capital Weather Gang.

Posted in Impacts, Trends, Climate, Extremes, Snow & Ice, Weather, Extreme Weather, Arctic & Greenland, International, United States, Extreme Planet

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Comments

By robin rutherford (RD5, Hunterville , New Zealand)
on December 27th, 2010

My belief is that the engine driving the atmospheric circulations is the temperature difference between the equator and the poles, and since the poles are warming much faster than the equator, the temperature difference them is decreasing and the energy driving the atmospheric circulations is therefore decreasing as well. This could partially explain the current blocking of circulations. In addition there have been recent reports that part of the gulf stream within the gulf of mexico has separated off reducing the energy of the gulf stream and possibly the warmer air it brings is not reaching as far north as in the past. Replies appreciated.

By Michael Crasto (Staten Island N.Y. 10312)
on January 9th, 2011

Robin I believe you are correct in your assumption though you have not speculated why this separation of the gulf stream from the North Atlantic current is happening. In my opinion it is because of the recent oil spill in the gulf which is affecting the flow of the thermosaline system and causing the currents to form eddies in the gulf. Though this has happened before it usually flows and eddies over some variable time frame and now that frame has either been cut off or been extended by an unknown amount. Only time will tell which one. Though we may already be seeing circumstances of this, most scientists believe our planet is too big to be affected by human activities. Though this may be true in the short term only the amount of activity and length of time will have repercussions on climate and after 200 years of industry i believe we are seeing the beginning of such changes that will take at least that long to bring the world back into balance though only if we cease these activities. I realize this is not possible with an economy that takes precedence over environmental issues and unless we change this we are doomed! People must realize the economy is only limited by resources and not by debt ,fiat currency or monetary institutions which will continue to enslave us if we let them. Its up to us as people and not governments or corporation. We are the great equalizer that have the ability to speak out against those that are causing harm to the world and us. It has always been in our hands and if we drop it we will pay a price worth more then any can imagine. Please choose wisely for all our sakes & God be with you !

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Andrew Freedman

Andrew Freedman is a senior science writer for Climate Central, focusing on coverage of extreme weather and climate change. Prior to working with Climate Central, Freedman was a reporter for C...