Climate Change Part 2 (From Worcester News)

Climate Change Part 2

11:27am Thursday 21st January 2010 in News By Paul Damari

WITHOUT the sun, life on earth would not exist, planet Earth is just in the correct position within our solar system to produce ideal conditions to support life. If our globe was a little closer to the sun we would fry, a little in the other direction and it would be to cold for any life.

The Earth is constantly changing geologically and climate wise, from earthquakes and volcanoes to hurricanes, droughts and floods. Natural and man made changes continue to occur and will always do so, many weather events around our globe are becoming much more severe altering the way we all live, changing the map in some countries.

Flooding and severe storm activity are common events around our world, whilst in other locations drought and wild fires are becoming much more frequent with failing rains for many years in succession. Las Vegas is on the verge of lack of water as the large reservoirs begin to get extremely low. If major rainfall does not fall over the next 5-10 years, there is real concern that Las Vegas will not have enough water to carry on.

Next Week: Climate Change Part 3

Glossary: Greenhouse Effect: The retention and build up of heat in the lower atmosphere due to the absorption of long wave radiation from the Earth's surface by molecules of such gases as water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and ozone.

Weather for coming week Monday 18th January-Friday 22nd January

The week will start off dry with some cloud and a little brightness. Rain may turn to sleet or snow on Wednesday as an east wind pulls in some colder air in from off the near continent, followed by heavy rain on Thursday into Friday Morning with squally winds from the south/south-west gusting to 40-50 mph in parts. Drier later Friday with the flood situation becoming worst due to melting snow and heavy rainfall.

Maximum temperature 7-10c but 2-3c on Wednesday.

Minimum temperature 5-6c but 1-2c on Wednesday Night.

Last Week's Observations (Monday-Sunday)

Highest day temperature.........9.4c on Sunday 17th January

Lowest night temperature........Minus 0.7c on Monday 11th January

Wettest day...............................8.8 mm on Friday 15th January