*** VOLCANO NOT EXPECTED TO INFLUENCE NORTH AMERICAN WEATHER... The
volcanic eruption in Iceland that is disrupting air traffic in Europe
(and now Newfoundland) was likely not large enough to influence weather
patterns and crop development in North America this summer, according
to U.S.-based meteorologist Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc.
While travellers moving through Europe continue to experience delays
because of the volcanic ash, Lerner said the volcano that erupted under
the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier was not actually a very large one and the
potential to change global weather patterns is very low, "unless it
continues to spew ash into the upper atmosphere for an extended
period."
Lerner said the volcanic ash would cause short-term visibility
issues in Europe and may keep temperatures below their normals until
the ash disperses. He said the ash was high enough to get into the jet
stream, which means it will be carried around the world.
Volcanic eruptions have been tied to shifts in global weather
patterns in the past. In 1991, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the
Philippines was tied to global reductions in average temperatures, but
Lerner said the Iceland volcano was much smaller than that event.
"It won't be any different than what occurred with Mount Redoubt in
Alaska a year ago," said Lerner. He said that volcano did not have a
large influence on weather patterns. "The whole reason we've had cooler
weather has more to do with the solar cycle than particulate matter in
the atmosphere," said Lerner. "It might have contributed to it, but I
think it would be pretty minuscule."
Overall, Lerner said the Iceland volcanic eruption could contribute
to a cooler summer this year, but the actual correlation would be
small. He noted that his forecasts were already predicting cooler
conditions across the Northern Hemisphere this summer, regardless of
the volcano, due to the solar cycle patterns.
volcanic eruption in Iceland that is disrupting air traffic in Europe
(and now Newfoundland) was likely not large enough to influence weather
patterns and crop development in North America this summer, according
to U.S.-based meteorologist Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc.
While travellers moving through Europe continue to experience delays
because of the volcanic ash, Lerner said the volcano that erupted under
the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier was not actually a very large one and the
potential to change global weather patterns is very low, "unless it
continues to spew ash into the upper atmosphere for an extended
period."
Lerner said the volcanic ash would cause short-term visibility
issues in Europe and may keep temperatures below their normals until
the ash disperses. He said the ash was high enough to get into the jet
stream, which means it will be carried around the world.
Volcanic eruptions have been tied to shifts in global weather
patterns in the past. In 1991, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the
Philippines was tied to global reductions in average temperatures, but
Lerner said the Iceland volcano was much smaller than that event.
"It won't be any different than what occurred with Mount Redoubt in
Alaska a year ago," said Lerner. He said that volcano did not have a
large influence on weather patterns. "The whole reason we've had cooler
weather has more to do with the solar cycle than particulate matter in
the atmosphere," said Lerner. "It might have contributed to it, but I
think it would be pretty minuscule."
Overall, Lerner said the Iceland volcanic eruption could contribute
to a cooler summer this year, but the actual correlation would be
small. He noted that his forecasts were already predicting cooler
conditions across the Northern Hemisphere this summer, regardless of
the volcano, due to the solar cycle patterns.
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