DAVE ROSS

Cliff Mass: Don’t pin July weather, massive iceberg on climate change

Jul 13, 2017, 9:50 AM

ice berg, climate change, global warming...

A vast iceberg with twice the volume of Lake Erie broke off from a key floating ice shelf in Antarctica, scientists said Wednesday. (John Sonntag/NASA via AP)

(John Sonntag/NASA via AP)

We haven’t seen measurable rain in the Seattle area for 26 days and one of the largest icebergs ever recorded just broke off in Antarctica. Should we be concerned?

The short answer is no.

University of Washington Climatologist and Professor Cliff Mass says almost an entire month without rain in Seattle and a sheet of ice roughly 2,300 square miles calving in the Antarctic Peninsula is not abnormal.

“This is not a sign of climate change,” he told Seattle’s Morning News. “This has been happening for decades. Chances of the [iceberg] breaking off is perfectly natural.

“You can’t pin this on climate change.”

Sorry blue states, you can’t send angry tweets about this to your climate-change denier friends in red states.

Mass also has a warning for anyone who read the story in New York Magazine about climate change, which details what life will be like when things heat up.

“There are a tremendous number of major technical errors,” he said. “Even climate scientists warn that it is exaggerated.”

Though we might not be at the point of spontaneous combustion if we step outside, Mass admits things are likely to change, even in Cascadia, where we enjoy moderate temperatures throughout most of the year. He says as warming accelerates, we will see less snowpack — skiers may have to say goodbye to some of our mountain resorts.

It could also rain more in the winter if global warming continues. That will likely result in more serious flooding “later in the century.”

Less snow and more water could also be seen as a positive, Mass points out.

As for our current dry spell, Mass says this is typical for western Washington in the summer. That will remain true, even if we break the record of 51 days without rain.

So put away those smartphones and limit the snarky I-told-you-so comments about our current weather, at least until the Arctic sea ice continues to melt at a faster-than-average rate and all the skiers migrate farther north.

Listen to the entire interview here.

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to dave rossTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

Dave Ross

car culture...

Dave Ross

Ross: Are we killing car culture? Or is car culture killing the US?

I don’t think the question is whether we're going to "kill" our car culture. The real question is can we stop our car culture from killing the U.S.?

3 days ago

drivers data insurance...

Dave Ross

Ross: As cars release driving data to insurance, is your driving my business?

Every move you make, every swerve you take, every lane change you fake – someone’s watching you. Do drivers have a right to keep driving data private?

10 days ago

rent control...

Dave Ross

Ross: Rent control was never the answer in Wash.

The rent control bill died in the Washington State Legislature this week, even though Democrats control both houses.

1 month ago

end of democracy...

Dave Ross

Ross: Conservative activist earns applause for pledging an ‘end of Democracy’

The theme from Jack Posobiec's speech is that Jan. 6 was a righteous attack not on democracy, but on those who threaten democracy.

1 month ago

Image: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, is seen on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, 2023. (Photo: Alex Brand...

Dave Ross

Ross: Voters can help cull bad politicians from the herd early

Let's remember that just about every occupant of a higher office once occupied a lower office, and was put there by us, Dave Ross says.

1 month ago

Super Bowl celebration...

Dave Ross

Ross: The NFL does it again

The NFL once again put on a show that was able to keep me tuned in for four hours even though I had no stake in either team.

2 months ago

Cliff Mass: Don’t pin July weather, massive iceberg on climate change