What’s Up With the Weather?
Posted January 19th, 2007 at 9:45 AM by Megan Hueter
Section: News & Results
It has been an unusually warm winter in the Northeast and Midwest United States; leaving many questioning the cause of such a phenomenon. Many health-conscious individuals and athletes are left wondering the impact of such temperature changes on the body and its ability to perform.
The National Climatic Data Center listed the average temperature for the 48 adjacent states last year as 55 degrees Fahrenheit; 2.2 degrees warmer than average. Worldwide, it was the six warmest year on record. Experts are pointing in three directions: El Niño, global warming and a combination of both.
El Niño conditions occur every few years in the Pacific and affects climate changes worldwide, producing warmer conditions in the U.S. 
It works in the following way: normally, east-to-west winds gather warm water in the western Pacific, while cold water from the deep ocean rises to the surface along the South American Coast. Every few years, the winds change, and a pool of warm water to moves to the east where it blocks the rising cold water. These changes help trigger global weather changes, similar to the warm weather we have been recently experiencing.
Global warming is much different, more of a man-made problem than a natural phenomenon. The earth’s atmosphere is very thin, like a coat of garnish on the earth. Sun rays come in as light waves, heat the earth, and infrared rays are reflected back out into space. However, pollution and greenhouse gasses thicken the atmosphere, and infrared rays are trapped, heating the earth. As a result, carbon dioxide levels and temperatures have been rising, particularly in the past half century.
Experts are increasingly looking at a combination of both El Niño and global warming when trying to explain the recent weather variability. This combination prompted Britain’s Meteorological Office to say that 2007 could become the hottest year ever recorded. It said there is a 60% chance to break the record set in 1998, when global temperatures were 1.2 degrees warmer than the long-term average.
Experts are also saying that the weather changes can negatively affect society’s health if temperature rates keep going up. Bacteria and viruses which are normally killed off in the winter cold might hang around and grow, infecting humans. Also, there are increased threats from mosquito-borne diseases. Greenhouse gasses (especially in urban areas) will increase asthma rates. These will be problems that will need to be addressed from a public health perspective.
Because varied temperatures of this nature is such a recent phenomenon, there is limited research on how it will affect an athlete’s performance. Dr. Jay Hoffman, Research Professor, Health and Exercise Science at The College of New Jersey states:
“Most problems arise when the sudden change in weather occurs in the middle of the run … As long as the runner is prepared, it shouldn’t make a difference.”
So, what can we do about these weather changes? Simple changes can be made at home to help reduce the climate crisis of global warming. Also check out the suggestions from Al Gore through his environmentalist campaign, “An Inconvenient Truth”. These steps don’t require much effort, but are capable of making the world a healthier place to live.
Research sources and for more information: [USA Today - 1], [CBS News], [USA Today - 2], [ClimateCrisis.net], [USA Today - 3]
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: al gore, An Inconvenient Truth, atmosphere, climate changes, El Niño, environment, global warming, health, meteorological, natural phenomenon, temperature, weather, winds, winter
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