On 05/03/10 16:36, Graham Easterling wrote:
SNIP

Might it not be that the NH SST anomalies are symptomatic rather than
causal?

Will


I rather think so.

Whilst not having a deep scientific knowledge of such things, I've had
an interest in North Atlantic SST anomalies for decades, and I have
little doubt the the prevailing synoptic situation controls SSTs
rather than the reverse.

Of course synoptic patterns have an effect on SSTs. But it has been
shown that there is a statistical link between one month's SST pattern
and the following month's pressure pattern. As I've pointed out before,
there are good reasons why this this should be so.


Of course, it's not wholly one way, but just looking at ast SST
anomalies & related archived synoptic charts tells you a lot.

In a way, I guess that's how it all started back in the 60s. Only they
did more than look at charts and went on to prove the relationship
scientifically.


However, I do wonder if the large reduction of arctic ice in 2007 has
played some part in the last 3 poor (by recent standards) summers.


Dunno! I can't quite see why it should make a difference but I wouldn't
rule it out. I can see that this winter wasn't as cold as it might have
been, and I reckon the low ice cover in the Greenland and Barents Seas
has been at least partly responsible for that.


--
Graham P Davis, Bracknell, Berks., UK. E-mail: newsman not newsboy
"I wear the cheese. It does not wear me."