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Well it's better the asian way. All this time I had thought that america was very cold in the winter, but actually it isn't. Places with 1c average highs don't really have 1c averages highs, they have a few days in the winter with -10c which skews the average to make it look like that, when in actual fact its 18c one day and 5c the next. I don't like places with big massive standard deviations because then you can't relay on the snow staying.
I'll just put aside the dubious math and statistics here for a minute and focus on the statement in bold. That being said, I think you grossly underestimate the contribution made by those arctic outbreaks towards making a place actually feel and "behave" cold. No matter how you spin it, a place like Chicago in winter feels and is far colder than any place in Ireland.
Well actually we do get a winter here in Northern ireland.
I wasn't attempting to say that places in america don't get extremely cold but what I was trying to say was that the climatic data makes certain places look like they get a snowy/cold winter but when you look at the past data there are lots of 11's and 12's. In a true snowy/cold winter freezing would not be exceeded for several months.
Basically the average doesn't represent what really happens in a normal winter.
Well actually we do get a winter here in Northern ireland.
I wasn't attempting to say that places in america don't get extremely cold but what I was trying to say was that the climatic data makes certain places look like they get a snowy/cold winter but when you look at the past data there are lots of 11's and 12's. In a true snowy/cold winter freezing would not be exceeded for several months.
Basically the average doesn't represent what really happens in a normal winter.
I'd disagree. Remember if it's often above average, it also must be below average. Even with variability, most northern US winters (excluding coastal areas) will have snow on the ground the majority of the winter, maybe even 2/3rds of the time.
Obviously there are other factors that affect jet stream position, and like all weather, there's some variability. But what I'm getting is the Rockies shift the average position of the jet stream to a somewhat NW direction instead of just due west.
I didn't know what camp you were in regarding if it does or doesnt but another thing I just thought about... the jet stream is at 21,000-45,000 feet. (4-8 miles up) . So I'm really doubting the Rockies have an affect. The tallest mountain in the Rockies is 14,000 feet.
Maybe the first link might get into it more and help your belief. Let me know. Maybe the warm air rising off the mountains?
No offense, but I suggest reading the article first. Air coming from the west will still be compressed when it hits the mountains, and decompressed leaving.
No offense, but I suggest reading the article first. Air coming from the west will still be compressed when it hits the mountains, and decompressed leaving.
I thought we were talking about the Jet stream? Air from the west at what level? Surface to 10k' of course. 4-8 miles up? Not so sure. I'll read it tomorrow. Something tells me the article is mentioning something else other than what you guys are talking about...which I thought was the Jet stream.
<snip> Seems North America really is the coldest continent outside of Antarctica.
I told you guys! But no, you guys keep posting world average maps and highlight the Dfd zones of Russia I am vindicated if Asia was indeed colder than North America, why during the last glacial maximum, the glaciers reached their southernmost extent in North America, not Asia?
I told you guys! But no, you guys keep posting world average maps and highlight the Dfd zones of Russia I am vindicated if Asia was indeed colder than North America, why during the last glacial maximum, the glaciers reached their southernmost extent in North America, not Asia?
Glaciers reached further south because North America has cooler summers and much more snow.
The "d" refers to colder winters not colder summer. Eastern North America does have colder summers at the same latitude, winter temperature don't matter much for glacier growth. See what I wrote here:
Glaciers reached further south because North America has cooler summers and much more snow.
The "d" refers to colder winters not colder summer. Eastern North America does have colder summers at the same latitude, winter temperature don't matter much for glacier growth. See what I wrote here:
I agree with you, has really nothing to do temps being "colder",
east asia at that time was much too dry for glaciers to form.
It was more than cold enough but was bone dry. Hence no huge glaciers.
Even these days, compare the glaciers and icefields in BC's Coast Mtns. with the much drier
Rockies farther east. The US Rocky Mtns have almost no real glaciers (except a few small ones struggling to survive in Glacier NP, Montana). Even the Canadian Rockies only has a couple of major icefields.
The climate in BC Coastal mountains is not colder (actually milder) but has much higher
precipitation (snowfall).
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I am vindicated 
if Asia was indeed colder than North America, why during the last glacial maximum, the glaciers reached their southernmost extent in North America, not Asia? 
