Weather Notes from Both Poles
Indicators continue to show disturbing trends and unexpected events, indicating that changes are taking place in the Earth's environment. The South Pole has had its warmest year ever (since recordkeeping began in the 1950s), and the North Pole experienced unexpected rain in late April.
"My business is weird, wild and wacky weather, and this is up there among fish falling from the sky or Niagara Falls running dry," according to David Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada. "I mean, it really is strange. You just don't expect it to rain in the High Arctic in April; maybe in July and August."
Phillips also indicated that over 50 years of historical weather data show "no signs of rainfall ever occurring in April in the High Arctic." The unusual rain could be an indicator of further shifts beginning to take place in Arctic weather patterns due to the continuing warming of the region.
The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station recorded the highest average annual temperature in 2009. It was also the second warmest year on record for overall surface temperatures on the Earth, according to NASA.
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