Climate Change Part 8 (From Worcester News)

Climate Change Part 8

2:30pm Tuesday 11th May 2010 in News By Paul Damari

VOLCANOES can pump vast amounts of particles into the troposphere and stratosphere reflecting sunlight and cooling the temperature down in some parts of the world. Those particles get tied up with the worlds airflow, so one volcano can pollute other areas of our globe.

The particles reaching the stratosphere are mainly of sulphuric acid and can remain for a long period of time. If the particles only reach the troposphere they are readily removed by rain.

Temperatures can be reduced in the tropics by 2c and worldwide by 0.5c after such huge eruptions. The eruption of Krakatau in 1883 and Mount Katmai in 1912 caused 10 and 20 per cent decrease in sunlight intensity lasting up to three years.

Some areas close to these eruptions can be covered by a thick layer of ash which kills plant life and affects health. Some reports logged ash 3m thick.

These volcanoes are natural events but they can and often change the globes climate.

Next time: Climate Change Part 9

Glossary: Horse Latitudes: Subtropical regions where anticyclones produce settled weather.

Weather for coming week Monday 10th May - Friday 14th May

Good deal of dry bright weather with sunshine, any precipitation not amounting to very much, mainly late Monday and on into the eventide, also Thursday Night and into Friday.

Slight frost on some nights during the first part of week, milder later.

Winds from the nne then ene mid week, ssw later in week fairly light.

Maximum temperature 12-13c but 15-16c later.

Minimum temperature 0-4c but 6-7c later in week.

Last Week's Observations (Monday-Sunday)

Highest day temperature.......15.2c on Tuesday 4th May

Lowest night temperature.....0.2c on Monday 3rd May

Wettest day.........................3.0 mm on Thursday 6th May