tugmistress

LAST READING AT TIME: 16:15 pm DATE: 12 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 16:20 PM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 22.4°C (72.3°F) (Heat Index 22.4°C ), Apparent temp 24.2 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 26.3 °C at: 3:55 PM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 13.9 °C at: 7:04 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 0.2 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) N (8°) Heat Index 24.3°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 3.6 mph at: 3:38 PM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 6.0 mph at: 2:57 PM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 2.5 mph at: 2:43 PM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 1.5 mm (0.06 in.) at 10:33 AM Rainfall This month 13.7 mm (0.54 in.) Rainfall To date this year 296.5 mm (11.67 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.5 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 0.5 mm DewPoint 16.0°C (Wet Bulb :18.5°C ) Humidity 67 %, Humidex 27.0 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1007.1 mb Pressure change -0.5 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) -2.7 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) -2.2 mb

An article about how one norwegian drilling company (i think ) is combatting emmitting Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere Here Makes interesting reading!

LAST READING AT TIME: 14:55 pm DATE: 11 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 15:00 PM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 24.4°C (75.9°F) (Heat Index 24.4°C ), Apparent temp 24.2 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 26.2 °C at: 2:41 PM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 13.6 °C at: 4:06 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 5.5 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) WSW (247°) Heat Index 25.5°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 13.0 mph at: 2:39 PM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 14.7 mph at: 10:15 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 13.8 mph at: 10:14 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.0 mm (0.00 in.)--- Rainfall This month 11.7 mm (0.46 in.) Rainfall To date this year 294.5 mm (11.59 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 0.0 mm DewPoint 15.6°C (Wet Bulb :19.0°C ) Humidity 58 %, Humidex 28.8 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1011.4 mb Pressure change -0.1 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) -1.7 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) -0.3 mb

LAST READING AT TIME: 07:25 am DATE: 09 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 07:30 AM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 9.2°C (48.6°F), Apparent temp 8.2 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 9.2 °C at: 7:24 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 5.3 °C at: 2:38 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 3.2 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) SW (221°) Windchill Temperature 9.2°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 8.3 mph at: 7:21 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 8.9 mph at: 4:51 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 7.6 mph at: 4:52 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.0 mm (0.00 in.)--- Rainfall This month 11.7 mm (0.46 in.) Rainfall To date this year 294.5 mm (11.60 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 0.0 mm DewPoint 7.6°C (Wet Bulb :8.5°C ) Humidity 90 %, Humidex 9.5 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1023.1 mb Pressure change -0.1 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) -2.6 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) -1.1 mb

LAST READING AT TIME: 10:05 am DATE: 08 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 10:10 AM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 14.3°C (57.7°F), Apparent temp 12.3 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 15.8 °C at: 9:43 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 8.3 °C at: 2:39 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 15.4 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) WNW (283°) Windchill Temperature 14.3°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 22.6 mph at: 9:56 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 22.6 mph at: 9:56 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 21.5 mph at: 9:56 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.0 mm (0.00 in.)--- Rainfall This month 11.7 mm (0.46 in.) Rainfall To date this year 294.5 mm (11.60 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 1.5 mm DewPoint 9.5°C (Wet Bulb :11.8°C ) Humidity 73 %, Humidex 15.4 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1027.5 mb Pressure change -0.2 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) +0.6 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) +0.8 mb

LAST READING AT TIME: 10:00 am DATE: 07 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 10:05 AM Current Weather Windy Again! Current Temperature 12.5°C (54.5°F), Apparent temp 5.9 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 13.8 °C at: 9:02 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 10.3 °C at: 12:49 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 20.8 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) NNW (348°) Windchill Temperature 12.5°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 32.4 mph at: 9:33 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 45.4 mph at: 3:41 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 41.0 mph at: 4:51 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 1.5 mm (0.06 in.) at 2:43 AM Rainfall This month 11.7 mm (0.46 in.) Rainfall To date this year 294.5 mm (11.60 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 1.0 mm DewPoint 9.0°C (Wet Bulb :10.7°C ) Humidity 79 %, Humidex 13.3 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1020.6 mb Pressure change +1.0 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) +8.9 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) +5.4 mb

LAST READING AT TIME: 10:35 am DATE: 06 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 10:40 AM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 15.6°C (60.1°F), Apparent temp 11.2 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 17.3 °C at: 10:02 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 12.4 °C at: 7:20 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 15.5 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) WNW (284°) Windchill Temperature 15.6°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 28.4 mph at: 10:30 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 32.6 mph at: 8:49 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 29.5 mph at: 8:54 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.0 mm (0.00 in.)--- Rainfall This month 9.2 mm (0.36 in.) Rainfall To date this year 292.0 mm (11.50 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 1.0 mm DewPoint 12.2°C (Wet Bulb :13.7°C ) Humidity 80 %, Humidex 17.9 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1007.6 mb Pressure change 0.0 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) -0.3 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) +1.2 mb

LAST READING AT TIME: 08:40 am DATE: 05 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 08:45 AM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 9.8°C (49.6°F), Apparent temp 9.7 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 11.2 °C at: 12:00 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 5.2 °C at: 5:37 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 0.0 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) SSE (149°) Windchill Temperature 9.8°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 0.0 mph at: 8:00 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 8.9 mph at: 12:04 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 8.0 mph at: 12:05 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.0 mm (0.00 in.)--- Rainfall This month 8.2 mm (0.32 in.) Rainfall To date this year 291.0 mm (11.46 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 0.0 mm DewPoint 8.7°C (Wet Bulb :9.3°C ) Humidity 93 %, Humidex 10.5 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1019.1 mb Pressure change -0.3 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) -0.4 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) -1.0 mb

Yes nuclear power stations have alife span..... a quote about Dounreay follows, the wind farm (all of two turbines) in the north sea off lybster up here are set for a 5 year life span at the moment, not 25 years .... * Until the 1950s, Dounreay was an area of grazing land on the remote northern coast of Scotland, known only for the presence of a 16th century ruined castle, a farm and a World War Two aerodrome that never became operational. * In 1954, the UK Government selected it as the location for the national centre for research and development of fast breeder reactors, a new type of atomic energy. Fast reactors were thought to have good potential for electricity generation as they made more efficient use of uranium fuel – effectively breeding more fuel than they consumed. This was important with the scarcity of uranium at the time. * The site was opened in 1955, and for the next 40 years Dounreay led the world in research and development of fast reactor technology. Two fast reactors were built at the site: - Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR), with its famous “dome of discovery”, operated from 1959 to 1977; - Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR), a larger model, ran from 1974 to 1994. * A materials test reactor (DMTR) also operated from 1958 to 1969. A variety of laboratories and chemical plants were built to handle reactor fuel, and facilities were developed to treat, store and dispose of wastes from the research programme. * Employing 2,400 people at its peak, the site transformed the local economy, trebling the size of Thurso, the nearest town. * Dounreay proved that fast reactors could work. It also demonstrated that plutonium could be recycled by reprocessing efficiently and economically. But by the late 1980s uranium was no longer in short supply, and the UK Government decided that fast reactors would not be needed for commercial electricity generation. Funding for the Dounreay research programme ceased and the last reactor shut down in 1994. * Reprocessing of PFR fuel continued until 1996, and spare capacity in fuel plants allowed commercial work including manufacture of fuel elements and recovery of enriched uranium. In the late 1990s UKAEA stopped new commercial work to concentrate on decommissioning the site. * Despite fears about the economic impact of decommissioning, it has brought a new lease of life to the area and increased employment levels at the site. Dounreay is now a pioneer once again, this time in environmental restoration. * In 2000, UKAEA published the Dounreay Site Restoration Plan, which was one of the world’s first blueprints for the restoration of a major nuclear site.

blimey, that was hard! in no order ... stormcxhv 1 OON 3 Odd spot 2 nick f 1 blackie 1 all of them were really good, but those are the five that 'grabbed' me :blush:

LAST READING AT TIME: 09:25 am DATE: 04 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 09:30 AM Current Weather Windy Again! Current Temperature 14.7°C (58.5°F), Apparent temp 9.7 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 14.8 °C at: 9:23 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 11.2 °C at: 12:11 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 22.7 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) NW (309°) Windchill Temperature 14.7°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 38.0 mph at: 8:53 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 45.1 mph at: 2:23 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 39.5 mph at: 2:14 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.0 mm (0.00 in.)--- Rainfall This month 8.2 mm (0.32 in.) Rainfall To date this year 291.0 mm (11.46 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 3.6 mm DewPoint 11.3°C (Wet Bulb :12.9°C ) Humidity 80 %, Humidex 16.6 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1011.5 mb Pressure change +1.5 mb (last hour) Trend RISING Pressure change (last 12 hours) +10.7 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) +7.6 mb

LAST READING AT TIME: 22:25 pm DATE: 03 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 22:30 PM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 11.2°C (52.2°F), Apparent temp 9.9 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 20.4 °C at: 12:35 PM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 6.9 °C at: 2:55 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 3.6 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) SW (226°) Windchill Temperature 11.2°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 17.9 mph at: 9:31 PM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 29.9 mph at: 1:05 PM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 20.0 mph at: 1:05 PM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 3.1 mm (0.12 in.) at 5:09 PM Rainfall This month 7.7 mm (0.30 in.) Rainfall To date this year 290.5 mm (11.44 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 2.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 3.6 mm DewPoint 9.8°C (Wet Bulb :10.5°C ) Humidity 91 %, Humidex 12.4 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1001.2 mb Pressure change +0.3 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) +5.1 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) +3.2 mb

LAST READING AT TIME: 07:10 am DATE: 02 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 07:15 AM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 10.8°C (51.4°F), Apparent temp 8.4 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 10.8 °C at: 7:02 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 7.6 °C at: 1:36 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 4.5 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) S (180°) Windchill Temperature 10.8°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 10.9 mph at: 6:15 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 11.2 mph at: 5:52 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 10.3 mph at: 4:43 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.0 mm (0.00 in.)--- Rainfall This month 1.0 mm (0.04 in.) Rainfall To date this year 283.8 mm (11.17 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 1.0 mm DewPoint 9.4°C (Wet Bulb :10.1°C ) Humidity 91 %, Humidex 11.8 °C Barometer corrected to msl 997.6 mb Pressure change -0.1 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) -2.8 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) -2.2 mb

Averages\Extremes for the month of August to 31 2006 ------------------------------------------------------------ Average temperature 13.8 °C Average humidity 88 % Average dewpoint 11.7 °C Average barometer 1010 mb Average windspeed 8.7 mph Average gustspeed 11.0 mph Average direction 312 ° ( NW) Rainfall for month 53.5 mm Rainfall for year 282.8 mm ----------------------------------------------------------- Maximum rain per minute 1.6 mm on day 28 at time 16:26 Maximum temperature 29.6 °C on day 05 at time 17:36 Minimum temperature 7.4 °C on day 28 at time 05:59 Maximum humidity 98 % on day 20 at time 11:16 Minimum humidity 53 % on day 25 at time 23:59 Maximum pressure 1024.0 mb on day 07 at time 21:53 Minimum pressure 996.2 mb on day 01 at time 04:55 Maximum windspeed 44.9 mph from 299° on day 09 at time 19:07 Maximum gust speed 52.9 mph from 315° on day 09 at time 17:16 Maximum heat index 31.0 °C on day 05 at time 17:36 ------------------------------------------------------------ Daily rain totals 11.8 mm on day 1 5.7 mm on day 2 0.5 mm on day 3 2.0 mm on day 6 0.5 mm on day 7 1.5 mm on day 8 7.1 mm on day 9 6.1 mm on day 10 1.0 mm on day 11 1.0 mm on day 13 1.0 mm on day 16 2.0 mm on day 19 3.1 mm on day 20 1.0 mm on day 21 1.5 mm on day 23 0.5 mm on day 27 4.6 mm on day 28 1.5 mm on day 29 1.0 mm on day 31 ------------------------------------------------------------

LAST READING AT TIME: 23:45 pm DATE: 01 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 23:50 PM Current Weather Dry Current Temperature 8.5°C (47.3°F), Apparent temp 8.1 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 23.8 °C at: 1:10 PM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 8.5 °C at: 11:43 PM Average windspeed (ten minute) 0.0 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) SSW (202°) Windchill Temperature 8.5°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 9.6 mph at: 11:08 PM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 29.0 mph at: 2:10 PM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 26.7 mph at: 2:10 PM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 1.0 mm (0.04 in.) at 2:32 PM Rainfall This month 1.0 mm (0.04 in.) Rainfall To date this year 283.8 mm (11.17 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 1.0 mm DewPoint 7.0°C (Wet Bulb :7.8°C ) Humidity 90 %, Humidex 8.5 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1000.6 mb Pressure change -0.1 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) +1.3 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) +0.5 mb

LAST READING AT TIME: 09:45 am DATE: 01 September 2006 ,Time of next update: 09:50 AM Current Weather Hazy Current Temperature 14.9°C (58.8°F), Apparent temp 15.4 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 14.9 °C at: 9:25 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 11.1 °C at: 4:26 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 2.2 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) S (182°) Windchill Temperature 14.9°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 6.9 mph at: 9:05 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 6.9 mph at: 9:05 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 5.4 mph at: 12:01 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) at 12:09 AM Rainfall This month 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) Rainfall To date this year 283.3 mm (11.15 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 1.0 mm DewPoint 13.9°C (Wet Bulb :14.4°C ) Humidity 94 %, Humidex 18.2 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1000.0 mb Pressure change -0.4 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) -6.9 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) -3.1 mb

yes it is just two, it is a demonstrator set up that will last for 5 years (so they say) and the two turbines may end up being used after that period of time too. if you click on my bottom link there is a list of FAQs on the bottom right of that page :unsure:

didn't look at where you posted the coordinates for, but this is currently going off up here ... Pictures "The Beatrice Wind Farm is the flagship project for offshore wind energy development in Scotland, the UK and Europe. The €41 million project aims to install two demonstrator wind turbines adjacent to the Beatrice oil field, 25 km off the east coast of Scotland. Plans for the Beatrice demonstrator windfarm are being led by Talisman Energy and Scottish and Southern Energy, and we would be delighted to discuss these with you. As the project progresses through approval and construction, we will be developing this website to provide a forum for information and discussion. In the meantime, please do download the Beatrice Windfarm Scoping Document – or, if you prefer, the non-technical summary which provides an overview of the project." taken from Here.

Well, that's the deadline folks, voting now closed and shuggs can do 'his thing' later

Good grief! would love to know how/why they all congregated like that! Good find

LAST READING AT TIME: 06:45 am DATE: 30 August 2006 ,Time of next update: 06:50 AM Current Weather Windy Again! Current Temperature 11.6°C (52.9°F), Apparent temp 3.5 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 12.2 °C at: 5:09 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 10.4 °C at: 1:16 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 27.5 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) NW (306°) Windchill Temperature 11.6°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 37.8 mph at: 6:42 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 44.5 mph at: 5:05 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 39.1 mph at: 3:14 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 0.0 mm (0.00 in.)--- Rainfall This month 52.5 mm (2.07 in.) Rainfall To date this year 281.8 mm (11.09 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.0 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 1.5 mm DewPoint 10.0°C (Wet Bulb :10.8°C ) Humidity 90 %, Humidex 12.9 °C Barometer corrected to msl 1008.7 mb Pressure change +0.5 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) +4.9 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) +1.5 mb

An article i think one of two of you may find interesting .... A new analysis of 50 years of changes in freshwater inputs to the Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic may help shed light on what's behind the recently observed freshening of the North Atlantic Ocean. In a report, published in the August 25, 2006 issue of the journal, Science, MBL (Marine Biological Laboratory) senior scientist Bruce J. Peterson and his colleagues describe a first-of-its-kind effort to create a big-picture view of hydrologic trends in the Arctic. Their analysis reveals that freshwater increases from Arctic Ocean sources appear to be highly linked to a fresher North Atlantic. "The high-latitude freshwater cycle is one of the most sensitive barometers of the impact of changes in climate and broad-scale atmospheric dynamics because of the polar amplification of the global warming signal," says Peterson. "It's easiest to measure these changes in the Arctic and the better we understand this system, the sooner we will know what is happening to the global hydrologic cycle." The multi-disciplinary team of scientists led by Peterson calculated annual and cumulative freshwater input anomalies (deviations from expected levels) from net precipitation on the ocean surface, river discharge, net attrition of glaciers, and Arctic Ocean sea ice melt and export for the latter half of the 20th century. The scientists compared the fluxes to measured rates of freshwater accumulation in the North Atlantic during the same time period. Endless Pools Their analysis showed that increasing river discharge and excess net precipitation on the ocean contributed the most freshwater (~20,000 cubic kilometers) to the Arctic and high-latitude North Atlantic. Sea ice reduction provided another ~15,000 cubic kilometers of freshwater, followed by ~2,000 cubic kilometers from melting glaciers. Together, the sum of anomalous inputs from all of the freshwater sources analyzed matched the amount and rate at which fresh water accumulated in the North Atlantic during much of the period from 1965 through 1995. "This synthesis allows us to judge which freshwater sources are the largest, but more importantly shows how the significance of different sources have changed over the past decades and what has caused the changes," says Peterson. "It prompts us to realize that the relative importance of different sources will change in future decades. Creating a big-picture or synoptic view of the changes in various components of the high-latitude freshwater cycle puts the parts in a perspective where we can judge their individual and collective impact on ocean freshening and circulation." In recent years, much attention has been given to the observed freshening of Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic and the potential impacts it may have on the earth's climate. Scientists contend that a significant increase of freshwater flow to the Arctic Ocean could slow or halt the Atlantic Deep Water formation, a driving factor behind the great "conveyor belt" current that is responsible for redistributing salt and thermal energy around the globe, influencing the planet's climate. One of the potential effects of altered global ocean circulation could be a cooling of Northern Europe within this century. The team's comparison of freshwater sources and ocean sink records revealed that over the last half century changes in freshwater inputs and ocean storage occurred not only in conjunction with one another, but in synchrony with rising air temperatures and an amplifying North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), a climatic phenomenon that has strong impacts on weather and climate in the North Atlantic region and surrounding continents, and the associated Northern Annular Mode (NAM) index. Peterson and his colleagues contend that the interplay between the NAO and NAM, and continued rising temperatures from global greenhouse warming, will likely determine whether the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans will continue to freshen. But the scientists caution that the difficultly in predicting fluctuations in atmospheric circulation makes it impossible to know where we might be headed. "Atmospheric modes of circulation such as the NAO and NAM exert a great deal of control on net precipitation in the ocean and even on regional temperatures, and hence ice melt as well," says Peterson. "But what drives the NAO is the $64,000 question. Our inability to predict trends in the NAO/NAM means that, even if we could predict global warming very well, a large degree of uncertainty will remain in any forecasts of the decadal-centennial trajectories of the Arctic freshwater balance. from Underwater Times

ok i just confused the hek out of everybody, hopefully i have got this request to merge right

LAST READING AT TIME: 07:00 am DATE: 29 August 2006 ,Time of next update: 07:05 AM Current Weather Windy Again! Current Temperature 11.9°C (53.4°F), Apparent temp 4.9 °C Maximum Temperature (since midnight) 11.9 °C at: 2:42 AM Minimum Temperature (since midnight) 10.4 °C at: 12:00 AM Average windspeed (ten minute) 19.7 mph Wind Direction (ten minute) NW (307°) Windchill Temperature 11.9°C Maximum Gust (last hour) 31.1 mph at: 6:58 AM Maximum Gust (since midnight) 31.1 mph at: 6:58 AM Maximum 1 minute average (since midnight) 27.2 mph at: 5:18 AM Rainfall (last hour) 0.0 mm Rainfall (since midnight) 1.0 mm (0.04 in.) at 4:05 AM Rainfall This month 52.0 mm (2.05 in.) Rainfall To date this year 281.3 mm (11.08 in.) Maximum rain per minute (last hour) 0.0 mm/min Maximum rain per hour (last 6 hours) 0.5 mm/hour Yesterdays rainfall 4.6 mm DewPoint 10.6°C (Wet Bulb :11.2°C ) Humidity 92 %, Humidex 13.5 °C Barometer corrected to msl 999.3 mb Pressure change +0.2 mb (last hour) Trend STEADY Pressure change (last 12 hours) -0.9 mb Pressure change (last 6 hours) -0.5 mb

hey viking, if you see anything let me know please and i will see if this stupid cloud has gone.