I learned about the Gulf Stream’s impact on global climate when I began my undergraduate education as an Atmospheric Science major. My professors spoke about how the Gulf Stream was the main reason why Europe experiences relatively warm temperatures given its high latitude. My professors also spoke about several times in history when the planet entered into mini-ice ages after the Gulf Stream slowed down or stopped transporting its heat to Europe. Since I learned about the importance of the Gulf Stream I have periodically monitored its strength because a major slowdown or a complete disruption of the Gulf Stream would have dramatic consequences on the planet.
A Russia Today (RT) report is attracting a lot of attention on the Internet. The report cites scientists who are boldly predicting that Europe will experience the coldest winter in a 1000 years. The report claims that the forecast is connected with a startling finding made by Polish scientists. Polish scientists reportedly claim that the Gulf Stream’s speed has slowed by 50% within the last couple of years.
After I read the story I searched throughout the Internet for a story where the Polish scientists actually presented their evidence. Unfortunately, all I was able to find were a few articles from September that did not include the evidence that the Polish scientists used to make their statement.
However, the September articles did reveal that these scientists work for Poland’s Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. I went to Institute of Meteorology and Water Management’s website to see if they had a report which showed their evidence. Unfortunately, the website does not have a report about this important issue.
The September articles also included something that Russia Today’s report failed to mention (I don’t know if the omission was on purpose or on accident). The September articles mentioned that the Polish scientists’ finding was refuted by NASA’s recent finding that the Gulf Stream’s current has experienced no noticeable change in strength over the past several years.
I am aware that an Italian nuclear physicist claimed that the BP Oil Spill disrupted the Loop Current, which is a transporter of warm water into the Gulf Stream. I actually reviewed the website where the nuclear physicist found the maps to make his eye-catching conclusion. The latest satellite images (Link 1, Link 2) of the Gulf of Mexico suggest that the Loop Current is back to normal and that the BP Oil spill did not permanently disrupt the Loop Current (I may post comparison images if enough people request to see them and if I have enough time).
Therefore, I am unsure whether to believe the report about how Europe is going to experience the coldest winter in 1000 years because the Gulf Stream’s current has supposedly been slowed by half. However, it is wise to be aware of what might happen if the Gulf Stream stops transporting heat to Europe. The Pentagon commissioned a study in 2003 about what might happen if there is a major change in the Gulf Stream. The report can be found at the following link The report paints a bleak future if something dramatic were to happen to the Gulf Stream, so the Gulf Stream is something worth monitoring.
