Heatmiser Gets His Way?

As we are all well aware, this past winter has been record setting warm. Now, the simple explanation is that poor old Snowmiser finally succumbed to Heatmiser. But, what’s the science behind it? Also, how will this scientific phenomena/aftermath of an evil Christmas villain’s takeover affect the rest of winter?

According to many scientists, the lack of cold isn’t just caused by climate change. While that is most likely a small part of it, the real causes have to with El Niño and the polar vortex. An El Niño is when low air pressure in North America causes warm South American winds, especially on the coasts. These winds then move northwards, causing an unusually warm climate globally. This is a drastic change from a La Niña, which we have experienced in the last couple of years. What’s happening with the polar vortex is that it is staying in an unusually tight circle around the Arctic, preventing sub-zero temperatures from reaching all of us down South.

There are many effects of this temperature spike, most not so great. Several animals have prematurely awoken from hibernation, which, down the road, may lead to a small decrease in numbers among many species. On an economic level, winter coat, ice melter and snow shovel sales and the like have plummeted. If we continue to have winters like this in the future, which is possible, this could lead to those industries being severely damaged. On the bright side, warm weather means that construction can continue on our new building! Now, we can only wait to see if Snowmiser makes a return in the new year.