Community Chat

[NoelSeven]

The results are out for a decade long study and conclude that air pollution from Asia directly affects the storm pattern over the Pacific Ocean. Researchers further speculate that this could be driving freak winter weather in North America.

"The Pacific storm track is a major driving force over global weather patterns," says the study's lead author Yuan Wang, a post-doctorate fellow at the NASA U.S. Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

"The modulated storm track can be linked to abnormal weather behavior in the mid-latitudes of the Northern hemisphere, including U.S. and Canada."

This is really scary because there isn't much we can do about it

Read more details here:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/15/world/asia/asia-air-pollution-pacific-storm/

[NoelSeven]

In January, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing recorded hazardous levels of particulate matter in the Chinese capital's air, at 18 times the recommended amount by the World Health Organization. Residents were warned to stay indoors.

This isn't fog, folks:

[esmerelda]

I know. I gave up long ago.

[Buck-i-Nana]

Took this pic this morning....I had such beautiful daffodils, hyacinths and grape hyacinths....

[NoelSeven]

The effect was most pronounced during the winter.There's also a report from the BBC science section with an even worse photo:

"Researchers have found that pollutants are strengthening storms above the Pacific Ocean, which feeds into weather systems in other parts of the world.

The effect was most pronounced during the winter."

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27027876

[Topaz Gem]

My boss went to Beijing last year and his photos looked exactly like the one above. It's absolutely disgusting. He says the smog and soot covers the sun, making for a very eerie environment. He said it also smells so bad that people walk around with cloths over their mouths and noses.

[Buck-i-Nana]

It's so sad, sadder still when you read articles and hear people decrying environmental regulations and defending corporations moving to China because of their lack of regulations. Pollution so bad that for days on end, the air is barely breathable. Anyone who thinks what happens in one place in the world environmentally doesn't eventually impact everyone isn't paying attention.

[NoelSeven]

Buck-i-nana,

Do you usually have snow in mid-April?

[scotttie]

On 4/15/2014 Buck-i-Nana said:

It's so sad, sadder still when you read articles and hear people decrying environmental regulations and defending corporations moving to China because of their lack of regulations. Pollution so bad that for days on end, the air is barely breathable. Anyone who thinks what happens in one place in the world environmentally doesn't eventually impact everyone isn't paying attention.

However, saddling our companies with unnecessary burdens and global regulations isn't fair especially when the problem is OVER THERE. We can't regulate what THEY do. Just my .02.

[NoelSeven]

On 4/15/2014 Topaz Gem said:

My boss went to Beijing last year and his photos looked exactly like the one above. It's absolutely disgusting. He says the smog and soot covers the sun, making for a very eerie environment. He said it also smells so bad that people walk around with cloths over their mouths and noses.

They are going to have to do something. People must already be suffering the effects, and the big shots causing the problem won't be able to get away from it themselves.