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Global Weirdness Happening

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nick_GAPER
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 7,747
http://espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/blog/_/post/7443632/global-weirding

After reading this I can't help but think to myself, "where will the sport of skiing be in 20 years?" I'm honestly a little bit worried about the future of our outdoor sport. Whether we go skiing tomorrow or not depends on the temperatures outside (cold enough to make snow or not), or the natural snowfall. I know that me, as well as so many of you, have the time of our lives sliding down snow covered runs with skis on our feet. I sure as hell want to be skiing until I'm 100, but at this rate, that might not be a possibility. I don't know whether to relate climate change totally to human or natural causes, but I want you guys to be AWARE that it does exist and this winter has made it apparent in many places (unless you live in AK). Be mindful of stuff like this as you go about your daily life and as you make decisions that could impact this issue, but most importantly, have fun skiing! 
Jan 10 2012 5:25PM
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mountainviper
Posts: 1931 - Karma: -3
Dude I feel ya but for real, do some research into the 11 year solar cycle and look at how it coincides perfectly with the dates in this article of extreme swings. Also look at the rate of warming of the rest of the planets in our solar system in relation to earth and the solar cycle. There's also some interesting research into dramatic climate changes in the past as well and what caused those changes. Not trying to badmouth any one theory or open some mindless debate. Just throwing out other perspectives to look into. You should always have an open mind in such things and be willing to see all perspectives. If you do not, you are simply being led by one perspective with blinders on.
Jan 10 2012 5:36PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Click for larger image

Good article Nick.

Its not just one weird winter either, WA has had declining snowpack for the last ten years on average. Interesting related article about the entire North American snowpack decline:

http://www.washington.edu/news/articles/scientists-find-recent-snowpack-declines-in-the-west-nearly-unprecedented

“Our results indicated that it’s due both to human-caused warming and ‘natural’ long-term fluctuations. The Northern Rockies in particular have been hit by a double whammy of climate change and natural variability in temperature,” said Lisa Graumlich, dean of the University of Washington College of the Environment and a co-author of the Science paper.
Jan 10 2012 5:39PM
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-AP-
Posts: 819 - Karma: 344
The most convincing evidence that I've seen of some sort of climate change is glaciers. Almost every single glacier (correct me if I'm wrong) has receded in the last 10 years. That has to mean something.
Jan 10 2012 5:40PM
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Logey.
Posts: 2996 - Karma: 457
im not very knowledgeable in this topic.. but i really dont fucking like this global weirding bull shit that has been going on. I just wanna ski :(
Jan 10 2012 5:46PM
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SKI.ING
Posts: 2695 - Karma: 2,535
People can only ignore it so long. Sure this year could just be one bad winter, but climate change and global warming are definitely starting to factor in to it. Have had a couple a very scientific, factual based classes over at UC Davis and its definitely going to affect us including our sport. Nice post OP.
Jan 10 2012 5:48PM
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nick_GAPER
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 7,747
Word. That's the kind of response I was hoping for. I'll do some reading on it.
Jan 10 2012 5:48PM
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Simmo
Posts: 512 - Karma: 28
More sk,i less trying to lead political/scientific debate please goepper
Jan 10 2012 5:52PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Definatley climate change is taking place. The thing that puzzles me is that we are on the backside of the iceage. One time, quite a bit of the world was covered in glacier (this shit probably all wrong, correct me on it, I'm just theorizing from general knowledge) Ok so this ice has been melting for a long time. Now if you cut this all down on a smaller scale, such as an ice cube, the less ice you have, the faster its going to melt, right?

Can someone answer me on this question, have the glaciers always been melting? Now as i understand it, in the winter time, the glaciers dont regenerate more ice then they have lost in the summer, and if thats true, then they will always be getting smaller.

Like I said, this is all me theorizing so all this shits probably wrong. I also believe that we are part of the cause of the glaciers melting and the earth warming up, and it really sucks that if there will be a day without snow. However one day I think we will have people smart enough to figure out how to make cleaner cars, find ways to remove emissions present in the atmosphere, and find a way to "Fix" the ozone layer, hopefully this day is soon. So go to university and get smart kids, please! For now, do what you can to be green!
Jan 10 2012 5:58PM
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eheath
Posts: 61601 - Karma: 123,027
Like it's been said before, its just a weather cycle. There have been bad winters like this in the past, MANY times, its how shit works. Yes, some sort of climate change has probably helped it along a little. But really people would have thought the same thing in 96 when this same shit happened, but global warming wasn't even a concept then.
Jan 10 2012 6:18PM
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.[sanhedrin].
Posts: 1652 - Karma: 932
I bought a chevy volt just in case. You're welcome.
Jan 10 2012 6:24PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
This is what I'm thinking to man. I mean this year europe is getting pounded while we have nothing, but last winter it was the total opposite. People are really freaking out because of the way this winter has gone. But at the same time I do believe the world is slowly warming up. In 10000 years, this planet will probably be back buried under ice.
Jan 10 2012 6:34PM
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I.B
Posts: 8137 - Karma: 24,351
Meanwhile in Europe...

Click for larger image
Jan 10 2012 6:41PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
"MAH, YOU IN THERE?"
Jan 10 2012 6:44PM
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.ZT.
Posts: 5679 - Karma: 2,792
LOL why do I live in Massachusetts!!!!!
Jan 10 2012 6:53PM
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cheener12
Posts: 2881 - Karma: 5,884
20 ft and counting hot damn
Jan 10 2012 6:58PM
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Gods_Father
Posts: 1466 - Karma: -284
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!
thats called pseudoscience, u can thank manbearpig for that
what you are really talking about is called the sun lol and ya i worry about the future of our sport too:(
Jan 10 2012 7:13PM
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roddy116
Posts: 10627 - Karma: 7,423
it snowed in texas today... im not worried at all
Jan 10 2012 7:22PM
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coldcuts69
Posts: 3718 - Karma: 1,888
exactly.
Jan 10 2012 7:29PM
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Ski_Alot
Posts: 5900 - Karma: 3,627
to be honest by the time i have kids, it may not even be worth it to teach them to ski just because of global warming...
Jan 10 2012 8:05PM
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babujib
Posts: 5039 - Karma: 104
refreshingly intelligent response.
Jan 10 2012 8:17PM
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Mules
Posts: 595 - Karma: 97
thats something to worry about more because if the south is getting snow and north isn't then there has to be something wrong
Jan 10 2012 8:23PM
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Ian.D
Posts: 1254 - Karma: 1,093
Everyone saying, oh you cant freak out about one bad winter, or last year had the best snowfall in history did not fully understand the article. Climate change highlights extreme weather, meaning one year it could be awesome snow, where next year there could be very little. But overall, the pattern is trending in the direction of warmer temperatures.

All those snow storms at 30, 31 degrees could be happening a few degrees warmer, leading to more rain and less snow as the years go on. Sure next winter might be great and people will say the whole climate change thing is BS, but as time goes on, things could get a lot worse
Jan 10 2012 8:39PM
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Mr.Sloth
Posts: 5091 - Karma: 13,469
Are you trolling? or just stupid?
Jan 10 2012 8:55PM
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WVskiing
Posts: 3007 - Karma: 1,949
al gore said it
Jan 10 2012 9:08PM
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120494435941
Posts: 0 - Karma: 37
lol the only correlation with winter temps is enviromentalists when its cold they stfu when its hot they wont shut the fuck up.
Jan 10 2012 9:10PM
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remster
Posts: 898 - Karma: 261
Researching this now. Looks interesting
Jan 10 2012 9:27PM
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jahmin44
Posts: 638 - Karma: 37
Anyone interested in this should read the book "state of fear" its a fictional story but based on real data/ research. It provides a lot of counterbalance points to the global warming theory that are interesting, stuff the media never talks about. It also does display some of the data supporting global warming. Most importantly, it explains how flawed a lot of temperature, sea level, co2 data is. A lot of the data used by scientists is cherry picked, adjusted arbitrarily or even missing data from some years.
Jan 10 2012 9:58PM
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loganimlach
Posts: 5132 - Karma: 14,054
It's all cyclical and always will be dude. Yeah Cordova, AK has gotten 20' this season, but last year the heli ops in Valdez almost went bankrupt because of
Jan 10 2012 9:58PM
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loganimlach
Posts: 5132 - Karma: 14,054
... everyone canceling due to lack of snow. Weather is fucked, and always will be. Someone will always be getting it better than you do just get used to it.
Jan 10 2012 9:59PM
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Rusticles
Posts: 2180 - Karma: 1,337
I wish there was a second picture with him buried.
Jan 10 2012 10:23PM
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ForeverYung
Posts: 8385 - Karma: 2,060
Da fuck? But yah FUCK GOLVAL WARMINGAND ALL THAT POLUTION SHIT I WANT SOME FUCKING SNOW
Jan 10 2012 10:51PM
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jeR.
Posts: 1325 - Karma: 58
i hope theres a polar switch or the ice caps melt or whatever fucked up science people are peddling these days so we can be plunged into a ten thousand year ice age and i can ski 300 days a year without ever leaving home
Jan 10 2012 11:00PM
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keenan.
Posts: 159 - Karma: 59
This is right on.

NASA's chief scientist, James Hansen, testified before the US Senate about global warming in 1988. Global warming most obviously manifests itself currently as climate change. Current skiiers can rejoice because the current state of global warming has much more moisture in the atmosphere than the human historical average while temperatures have not increased too much yet to significantly effect our main skiing locations.  We can surely expect the craziest and most extreme snowstorms are still to come. 

On the other hand, these individual extreme weather events which will bring more massive snowfalls will also bring more extreme dry spells.  This is increasing reason to band together, keep the stoke alive, and help out resorts during lean years.  It's a great year to teach some new people to ski.
Jan 10 2012 11:05PM
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PartyHon
Posts: 2019 - Karma: 425
HOLY MOTHER OF SNOW
Jan 10 2012 11:08PM
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skichicky3
Posts: 2593 - Karma: 64
finally someone in this thread who understands!!!!!
Jan 10 2012 11:16PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
climate change IS happening. The earth IS getting warmer. that is not up for debate. Everybody, and i do mean everybody in the scientific community, agrees on this.

Whats causing it? that is up for debate. the vast majority say the main culprit is pollutants released by human activity creating the greenhouse effect. there could be many causes though.
Jan 10 2012 11:43PM
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Z-Juice
Posts: 3151 - Karma: 1,504
I haven't looked into "global weirdness" too much but with the snowfall this season, I'm definitely going to start to.

Hopefully you guys are right and this bad weather is just a "cycle"
Jan 10 2012 11:45PM
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roddy116
Posts: 10627 - Karma: 7,423
they always get a little snow up north, came a little late this year
Jan 11 2012 12:11AM
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roddy116
Posts: 10627 - Karma: 7,423
double post wtv, but its in the northern hemisphere still so its all good
Jan 11 2012 12:12AM
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mikemac
Posts: 1292 - Karma: 3,623
BUMMMER DUDESSS
Jan 11 2012 12:20AM
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eheath
Posts: 61601 - Karma: 123,027
quoting for emphasis, no one seems to understand this shit. No one seems to get that the earth naturally goes through warming and cooling phases. No one seems to understand that you have bad winters and good winters, its all based on cycles not on the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.
Jan 11 2012 1:53AM
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*DELETED*
Posts: 1043 - Karma: 938
tell em! finally someone who knows what theyre talking about rather than bullshitting or googling g"lobal warming"
Jan 11 2012 2:53AM
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exile_ch
Posts: 715 - Karma: 609
"The predominant scientific opinion on climate change is that the Earth's climate system is unequivocally warming and it is more than 90% certain that humans are causing it through activities that increase concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels.[1][2][3][4]"

"97–98% of the most published climate researchers think humans are causing global warming.[1] Another study found 97.4% of publishing climatologists and just under 90% of all earth scientists think significant man made global warming is occurring.[2]"


YES THIS IS FROM WIKIPEDIA, and yes you might give me the usual bullshit about how unworthy is this site and blabla.

But seriously, you guys are saying 97% of climatologist are wrong ? Really ? THE VAST MAJORITY agrees on it.

Have you guys researched a a bit the Fourth Assessment Report by the IPCC ?

HERE : http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/syr/en/contents.html

For fuck sake.. This is a skiing website, we all love our nature and we should all care for it. But seems to me a good portion of this site just doesn't give a shit because of some biaised media.
Jan 11 2012 3:14AM
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snocompton
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 268
ffs everyone needs to just relax. its been a dry start. shit happens. it did the exact same thing here in WA last year. janurary was like may practically. and then, the flood gates opened up and feburary and march were record months everywhere.


LA NINA IS COMING BACK JUST GIVE IT A DAMN MINUTE
Jan 11 2012 3:15AM
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dmc12380
Posts: 3545 - Karma: 792
I was talking to a summit county local on the lift today. he's been skiing there since the early 70's. According to him this was the third worst season to date he experienced, then I asked when they started keeping track b/c "the third worst" doesnt mean anything without a time period, but he didnt know. So i gave a conservative 100 year period. Then we began to talk about last year being soo good and he said it was the 3rd best snowfall record to date, the second being in 1984 with even more snowfall. (he didnt know the first best record). But just given this, in about 25 years we had 2 snowfall records in Colorado since they were keeping tack., it doesnt surprise me theres bad seasons, its just outliers.
Jan 11 2012 3:47AM
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eheath
Posts: 61601 - Karma: 123,027
I never said the earth wasn't getting warmer and wasn't being expedited by humans, but the whole dooms day global warming thing is so 2005.
Jan 11 2012 3:55AM
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250r
Posts: 2276 - Karma: 1,013
ok that makes perfect sense, but if hotter oceans means more snow, then why is there more snow on a la nina year which would be a year with colder water temps
Jan 11 2012 5:33AM
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HolySchimmel
Posts: 1601 - Karma: 1,297
As far as I know, La Nina is a WEATHER phanomenon, and has nothing to do with climate really.

Also I think noone here denies the fact of global warming. But even if the earth is warming up (which is as a lot of other people here said before, natural and happend a lot of times allready), you wont notice that from one winter to the next.
There will still be enough snow to ski in 50 years, even if the average temperatures rise for 2.4°C (or whatever the numbers are, I dont really know and I am to lazy to google what the "experts" predict).

Jan 11 2012 8:17AM
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.Ian.
Posts: 1568 - Karma: 72
I'm not very informed on weather patterns or anything like that, but I'm going to add this to my threads because I like to read all of your discussions. All I know is I want mountains to be coated in white stuff and that's all.

I was talking to a guy on the lift yesterday who said the reason we're never going to get snow ever again is because of the "el nina" and global warming...
He didn't seem very informed on the subject either haha.
Jan 11 2012 8:27AM
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bpalmer
Posts: 2408 - Karma: 93
this is unsettling but true: it IS so 2005. the fact is that people only really cared about this issue when it was politically charged (despite it being an issue, if not THE issue, that should transcend political boundaries).

this crazy winter may be totally explicable and predictable, but I hope I'm not the only one that's a little alarmed at the increase in frequency of extreme weather events globally in the past two years.
Jan 11 2012 8:59AM
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