World War 2

[summer blizzard]

I notice that world war 2 saw many cold winters and it sprung to mind that the bombings drung WW2 could have caused lots of ash, dust and various chemicals to be put into the atmosphere, while i do not doubt that natural cycles were also at play, is it possible that the chemicals released into the atmosphere also caused a cooling effect, once WW2 ended, we saw a very hot summer in 1947 and a very warm year in 1949.

[Gray-Wolf]

I have mused over the 'dimming effect' NW Germany should have encountered during the daylight, blanket USAF raids towards the end of the war with all those vapour trials .

They never really advertise the ecological costs of conflict, the number of whales torpedoed or reefs poisoned never mind the effects from bombing,gassing,oil fires,nuclear wastes........

[Weather-history]

I notice that world war 2 saw many cold winters and it sprung to mind that the bombings drung WW2 could have caused lots of ash, dust and various chemicals to be put into the atmosphere, while i do not doubt that natural cycles were also at play, is it possible that the chemicals released into the atmosphere also caused a cooling effect, once WW2 ended, we saw a very hot summer in 1947 and a very warm year in 1949.

Doesn't explain why winter 1939-40 was so cold, the coldest winter of World War II. There was little action happening the so-called phoney war.

Also always overlooked is the winter of 1942-43 which was very mild, it was the second mildest winter since 1868-69

Also the summers of World War II were not especially cool overall, though equally they were not especially warm.

And also you have got the very warm Aprils, 3 on a bounce 1943-45.

The air pollutants from the bombing etc may have played there part but its not clear cut.

Edited August 11, 2006 by Mr_Data

[cheeky_monkey]

I notice that world war 2 saw many cold winters and it sprung to mind that the bombings drung WW2 could have caused lots of ash, dust and various chemicals to be put into the atmosphere, while i do not doubt that natural cycles were also at play, is it possible that the chemicals released into the atmosphere also caused a cooling effect, once WW2 ended, we saw a very hot summer in 1947 and a very warm year in 1949.

in fact the allied bombing offensive never got into full swing until late 1943..early 1944..so tht dosnt explain the very cold winters of the early 1940s...in fact the winterof 41-42 was exceptionally cold across eastern europe and russia, the coldest in the last 250yrs!

[Hiya]

I have often thought about this.

Mr Data you point out about the phoney war in 1939-40 winter, so you can't use munitions as evidance, but perhaps it was industrial build up, or something else caused by human activity? If i recall winter 1914-15 was the coldest winter in memory, but would 2 months of conflict before winter started effect the weather, or was it maybe a years buildup of something else?

[Stratos Ferric]

I notice that world war 2 saw many cold winters and it sprung to mind that the bombings drung WW2 could have caused lots of ash, dust and various chemicals to be put into the atmosphere, while i do not doubt that natural cycles were also at play, is it possible that the chemicals released into the atmosphere also caused a cooling effect, once WW2 ended, we saw a very hot summer in 1947 and a very warm year in 1949.

It's highly unlikely that conventional bombing had any significant effect. First up the debris tends to be heavy and sink very quickly. Secondly, it doesn't tend to get high into the sky - the explosive force is relatively small, though it doesn't seem that way if you're alongside one as it goes off.

Contrails wold not have been very significant either. Even the busiest bombing days would have seen far less air traffic than flies over Europe on a quiet day now. In addition, with unpressurised cabins, altitudes would have been a lot lower, meaning the occurrence and persistence of vapour trails wouuld certainly have been far lower.

Napoleon also had some very cold winters, but he didn't have any overhead cover.

It would be rich irony indeed if there were anything in your ponder, as the intense cold on the eastern front was a hugely significant factor in swinging the war away from Germany.