5 ms·

Unpleasant by heat or cold? An unstable/weak gulf stream would make N Europe colder!

frereubu 4y ago
I think that's what they mean. AFAIK the entire UK is north of the Canadian border. The people, economy, infrastructure and natural environment are nowhere near ready to deal with a Canadian-style winter.
- onlyrealcuzzo 4y ago
  Most of Canada - where it's REALLY cold - is mainly cold because it's so far away from water. Nova Scotia is much colder than the UK - but it's not like it's Siberia. I imagine the UK is highly unlikely to get colder than Nova Scotia.
  - osigurdson 4y ago
    Nova Scotia winter weather would be quite a shock for the UK. I don't think it would be catastrophic but very unpleasant for sure.
  - thrown_22 4y ago
    You can look at a map. Scotland is at the same latitude as Hudson Bay. The Belcher Islands are not known for mild winters despite being in the middle of that bay: https://www.worldweatheronline.com/belcher-islands-weather-averages/nunavut/ca.aspx https://www.worldweatheronline.com/belcher-islands-weather-a... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:K%C3%B6ppen-Geiger_Climate_Classification_Map.png https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:K%C3%B6ppen-Geiger_C... In short: yes it will turn into Siberia.
  - Izkata 4y ago
    The Gulf Stream is an ocean current than brings warmth from the Gulf of New Mexico up the US's coastline and across the Atlantic to western Europe. It's estimated to have a several-degree-C warming effect. The Gulf Stream doesn't seem to be slowing down, so a direct temperature-related change isn't really a concern, but what still is is the ice melt from Greenland - that's mostly freshwater and it getting dumped into the Atlantic could still disrupt it.
otikik 4y ago
Probably both. Colder in some places and hotter in others as a result.
Waterluvian 4y ago
Almost all climate variability in either direction is unpleasant for settlements long built for a certain expected range.

I think that's what they mean. AFAIK the entire UK is north of the Canadian border. The people, economy, infrastructure and natural environment are nowhere near ready to deal with a Canadian-style winter.

onlyrealcuzzo 4y ago
Most of Canada - where it's REALLY cold - is mainly cold because it's so far away from water. Nova Scotia is much colder than the UK - but it's not like it's Siberia. I imagine the UK is highly unlikely to get colder than Nova Scotia.
- osigurdson 4y ago
  Nova Scotia winter weather would be quite a shock for the UK. I don't think it would be catastrophic but very unpleasant for sure.
- thrown_22 4y ago
  You can look at a map. Scotland is at the same latitude as Hudson Bay. The Belcher Islands are not known for mild winters despite being in the middle of that bay: https://www.worldweatheronline.com/belcher-islands-weather-averages/nunavut/ca.aspx https://www.worldweatheronline.com/belcher-islands-weather-a... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:K%C3%B6ppen-Geiger_Climate_Classification_Map.png https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:K%C3%B6ppen-Geiger_C... In short: yes it will turn into Siberia.
- Izkata 4y ago
  The Gulf Stream is an ocean current than brings warmth from the Gulf of New Mexico up the US's coastline and across the Atlantic to western Europe. It's estimated to have a several-degree-C warming effect. The Gulf Stream doesn't seem to be slowing down, so a direct temperature-related change isn't really a concern, but what still is is the ice melt from Greenland - that's mostly freshwater and it getting dumped into the Atlantic could still disrupt it.

otikik 4y ago

Probably both. Colder in some places and hotter in others as a result.

Waterluvian 4y ago

Almost all climate variability in either direction is unpleasant for settlements long built for a certain expected range.