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Gulf Stream
Wed Apr 07, 2004
Listen in RealAudio 
Yesterday, we talked about how global warming could alter the Gulf Stream, and
change Europe's climate. But another study questions whether the Gulf Stream is
really responsible for the mild Europe at all. Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton for The Weather
Notebook.
Why do Arctic winds lash Labrador and Newfoundland, while just across the pond, the
Emerald Isle stays green all winter? The reason, it's long been thought, is that the Gulf
Stream circulates southern warmth up to the coast of Western Europe. But according
to a recent study published in the "Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological
Society," Ireland's balmy winters may have more to do with the Rocky Mountains than
with the Gulf Stream.
Winter weather patterns on both sides of the Atlantic are strongly influenced by a
semi-permanent area of low pressure called the "Iceland Low." It appears that the
Rockies have a lot to do with the exact position and intensity of this low. Remove the
mountainous spine of our continent, as the authors of this paper did in their computer
models, and winter in Ireland's County Cork starts to look a lot more like Goose Bay,
Newfoundland. True, Western Europe also cooled when the researchers took out the
Gulf Stream, but then eastern North America also cooled by about the same
amount.
Other climatic effects have to be considered as well, including the basic difference
between Western Europe's maritime influence and eastern North America's
continental climate. But, if further studies agree with this climate model, then the Gulf
Stream may not be the main reason why it rarely snows in Sligo, and why some
textbooks may have to be revised.
Thanks to David Laskin for today's story. The Weather Notebook is funded by the
National Science Foundation and Subaru of America. All of our shows are available in
real audio at our website: www.weathernotebook.org.
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