Russia and New Zealand are getting hit with abnormally cold weather. From Russia Times:
Coldest winter in 1,000 years on its way
After the record heat wave this summer, Russia's weather seems to have acquired a taste for the extreme.
Forecasters say this winter could be the coldest Europe has seen in the last 1,000 years.
The change is reportedly connected with the speed of the Gulf Stream, which has shrunk in half in just the last couple of years. Polish scientists say that it means the stream will not be able to compensate for the cold from the Arctic winds. According to them, when the stream is completely stopped, a new Ice Age will begin in Europe.
I am taking this with a grain of salt as the Gulf Stream has most definitely not shrunk in half. It is a dynamic component of the Atlantic Conveyor and moves around more than people realize but it is still going strong. The New Zealand story is boots on the ground observation -- from the Meat Trade News Daily:
Snow hits farmers big time
Following a reasonably benign winter, the Southland region of New Zealand (NZ) has in the past week been hit by "the worst spring storm in living memory" according to the NZ Herald.
Six days of blizzards have caused deaths among new lambs numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and raised concern over the welfare of ewes yet to lamb.
Besides the effect of the cold weather itself, the continued snowfall has not allowed snow on the ground to thaw, making it much harder for stock to feed.
This makes ewes about to lamb particularly susceptible to metabolic illnesses from a lack of nutrients.
