Warm water causes extra cold winters in Northeastern North America an Northeast Asia (Science Daily, March 30, 2011)

This article is about how North America and Asia are colder in the winter than places in Europe in the same latitude. If you were sitting in a bench at central park in New York during the winter, then it would be 32 degrees F. But right across the ocean in Portugal, which is at the exact same latitude, it would be only 48 degrees F. For many decades, it was thought that the golf of Mexico had a current referred to as the golf stream that carried warm tropical waters up to Europe causing it to get warmer. In 2002 it was proved this theory was mistaken. In the northern hemisphere, water currents flow clock wise so the stream did not go to Europe, it goes to the northeast coast of the US and eastern coast of Canada. This currents warm up the water, causing it to warm up the air above it. The gravity does it's job so the warm air warms the east of the current's side, meanwhile the western side's pressure brings air from the pole down there and make the weather much colder. It wasn't that Europe was warmer, but that North America was colder.

At the other side, in the west coast of the US and Canada, it is the total opposite. It is warmer because it is the east to another current in the north pacific ocean. This current work the same way but what is to the east of the current would be Northeastern Asia, so this same thing is happening in there.

This is a very interesting topic because these place affected by the cold air are having very different conditions. People living in certain places might need to use more thermostat than people in Europe even though they are at the same latitude and this is costing the lots of money. Unfortunately. There is nothing we can do because this is not caused by us, this is just the natural way the planet Earth works.

I can relate this to my life because I once got to experience that. Last December I when to Miami and the temperature was 54. Even though it was Miami, in Yahoo weather they also explained this phenomenon and they said it was only happening for a a few days. I looked all the way across the ocean in Algeria, it was way warmer even though it was at the same latitude.

It is amazing how every time I do a Journal Article, I learn so much, and I can relate this to the IB learner profile. I am being a knowledgable student by learning about this phenomenon occurring right now, or well, it did when it was winter now it is spring, so it is actual news that encourage me to be more aware of the world outside where I live. This is also the idea of this international school. To learn about international new that don't necessarily affect me that much, but once I learn about them, I realize how much they actually do.

Here is a picture from a satellite from the NASA showing how north america is colder that Europe even when in the same latitude:


Wanna read the actual post? Go to the following link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110330131306.htm