If you’re 27 or younger, you’ve never experienced a colder-than-average month

[marmar]

from Grist's Gristmill blog:



If you’re 27 or younger, you’ve never experienced a colder-than-average month
By Philip Bump


This image sums up 2012, temperature-wise.



Nowhere on the surface of the planet have we seen any record cold temperatures over the course of the year so far. Every land surface in the world saw warmer-than-average temperatures except Alaska and the eastern tip of Russia. The continental United States has been blanketed with record warmth — and the seas just off the East Coast have been much warmer than average, for which Sandy sends her thanks.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration summarizes October 2012:

The average temperature across land and ocean surfaces during October was 14.63°C (58.23°F). This is 0.63°C (1.13°F) above the 20th century average and ties with 2008 as the fifth warmest October on record. The record warmest October occurred in 2003 and the record coldest October occurred in 1912. This is the 332nd consecutive month with an above-average temperature.

Emphasis added. If you were born in or after April 1985, if you are right now 27 years old or younger, you have never lived through a month that was colder than average. That’s beyond astonishing. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://grist.org/news/if-youre-27-or-younger-youve-never-experienced-a-colder-than-average-month/

[dexterborg]

1. Bloody freezing in europe!!

Its so cold it gets into your bones - not fresh though like a humid bone chilling cold!!!
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[xchrom]

2. du rec. nt

[dipsydoodle]

3. That may well depend on where you are.

.

[marmar]

4. I think it's based on the global average.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Last few winters

in the south of the UK have been a dog.

[madokie]

6. I'm not sure I believe that

Feb. of '09 we had 6 to 10 inches of Ice on everything that would hold that much weight. Trees were falling to where when you were outside it sounded like a war zone. Feb. of '10 we had from 24 to 36 and some places even more snow. We had temperatures in the 0's, above and below. A lot of people were without power for days some even weeks because the power line couldn't withstand the weight of the Ice, snow or trees whichever the case may be. This weather lasted 6 weeks or so both years. In my 64 years I've never seen anything like it before

[NickB79]

7. Remember, this is GLOBAL monthly temps

First, what you're describing sounds like record ice storms, not record low temps. I see that you're in Oklahoma; your winters on average should be -10F to -20F depending where you live in the state, so freezing rain in the single digits would be above-average for your area. And, ice storms are actually predicted to become more frequent as the climate warms, because warmer, moister air will be moving further north more frequently in the winter months, replacing the typical snowfall precipitation we're all familiar with.

Second, when people say "Oh, I've experienced a record cold winter in my hometown in the past 27 years", it means that somewhere else on the globe that same month, there were enough record high temps to more than offset the few cold snaps to average out to a general warming trend. I can remember the winter of 1996 here in Minnesota clearly; it hit -40F in the Twin cities and -60F in Tower, MN! That was without the windchill to boot. Factor that in and it felt like -75F outside! But despite that, the global average temp. for that month was still warmer than average.

It isn't called GLOBAL warming for nothing, after all.

[madokie]

8. "If you’re 27 or younger, you’ve never experienced a colder-than-average month"

I know what global warming is and understand the implications but I was referring to this subject line.

We don't have winters like those two were, normally and again I was going on what the subject line said

Whatever you do don't start calling me a denier

[AverageJoe90]

9. May not be long, though.

I'll send you a DU Mail.