Ask A Scientist© Weather Archive

    name        David
 >   status      other
 >   age         40s

 >   Question -  As more of the ocean water becomes exposed because of our
 > meelting ice caps. What will this do to our snowfall in the coming winters.

>Dear David-
>
>   It is difficult to know how the melting of the ice caps will affect
>future weather around the globe. Much research needs to be done in this
>area. There are so many variables in climate and weather, and correlating
>any particular environmental event to later observed weather is not likely
>in the near future.
>
>   Weather patterns are cyclic, with cycles of several years overlaid on
>cycles of longer periods, even hundreds or thousands of years. Undoubtedly,
>snowfall will be above normal in parts of the world this winter, but it is
>unlikely any specific cause can be ascertained.
>
>Wendell Bechtold, meteorologist
>Forecaster, National Weather Service
>Weather Forecast Office, St. Louis, MO

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