Cold summer in store?
A blue area, denoting colder than average seas, is clearly visible to the south of Iceland Photo: NOAA
Colder than usual seas are likely to bring bad summer weather to both Norway and Iceland this year. Russia and Eastern Europe are predicted to enjoy better than usual weather this summer.
“There is good reason to believe that this is rather more than a blip,” says meteorologist Einar Sveinbjörnsson in an article published on the Norwegian news website Verdens gang. The sea to the south of Iceland has cooled considerably and this is likely to affect weather conditions here.
Major cause for concern
“Deviations in sea temperature always have an effect on the weather, although it is not always possible to say in what way. This particular cold deviation to the south of Iceland is a source of serious concern as the change is so pronounced. It only showed up last year and is much greater now,” explains Sveinbjörnsson.
He also refers to research that shows that part of the Gulf Stream to the south of Greenland is weakening, linking this phenomenon to the cooling seas we are witnessing. Changing sea temperatures affect pressure and heat exchange between the atmosphere and the sea, which in turn affects our day-to-day weather.
The full article (in Norwegian) can be seen here.
