HARC Online Workshops 2001 | Overview

Arctic Weather: Implications of changing weather patterns in the Arctic

5-9 November 2001
Moderated by John Walsh and Henry Huntington

"Are weather patterns in the Arctic changing, and if so, what are the implications of these changes?"

Discussion Summaries
Summaries of the workshop discussion for each day:

5 November | 6 November | 7 November | 8 November | 9 November

Workshop Purpose
Climate change in the Arctic is the subject of considerable attention and research. Changes in patterns of temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, and winds are likely to have profound impacts on Arctic ecosystems and people. But in the focus on climate, we overlook the fact that people typically experience the day-to-day conditions of "weather" rather than the seasonal and annual averages that are reflected in "climate." In particular, changes in extreme weather events can have significant consequences for Arctic residents and ecosystems, but these events may not be apparent in the monthly or seasonal averages used by climatologists.

Indigenous elders in the Arctic have reported numerous changes in weather patterns over the course of their lives. For example, the weather is widely seen as less predictable than it used to be. There are more storms, and fewer days of calm weather. Wind direction shifts more suddenly, and there is lightning in places where thunderstorms never occurred fifty years ago. In many cases, these changes may represent new insights and potentially valuable contributions to climate change research, so it is important to obtain as much specific information about these changes as possible. In addition to answering research questions, it is important to consider the impacts of changing climate and weather. If the weather is less predictable, what does this mean for hunters going on a trip for several days across the sea ice? What does it mean for a ship captain navigating Arctic waters, or for airplane traffic in remote areas? If there is more lightning in northern areas, are forest and tundra fires more likely, and what are the impacts if they are?

For more information, see the Background Readings.

Outline of the discussion of "Arctic Weather: Impacts of Changing Weather Patterns in the Arctic"
5-9 November 2001

HARC
Survey

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Poster Session

Instructions

 

Arctic Weather: Impacts of Changing Weather Patterns in the Arctic
Are weather patterns in the arctic changing, and if so, what are the implications of these changes?

Climate surprises
Severe storms and decadal scale changes in storminess
Predictability
Introductory comments from moderator

What weather means to humans in the Arctic: Ways in which weather affects people

Arctic ozone and ultraviolet radiation
Introductory comments by moderator

How weather is changing: traditional knowledge and evidence from weather records

Useful weather information
Winds
Introductory comments from moderator

How do changes in weather relate to climate, climate change, global circulation, and weather?

Polar vortex
Anthropogenic causes of change
Weather vs. Climate
Introductory comments from moderator

How do changes in weather affect ecosystems and physical processes (e.g., erosion, flooding)?

Ecosystem effects
Physical processes
Introductory comments from moderator

How do changes in weather affects hungers, herders, fishers, transportation, and commercial activity?

Introductory comments from moderator

What do changes in weather mean for people and their relationship with their environment?

Introductory comments from moderator

Human Dimensions of the Arctic System
Open forum to discuss human dimensions of the arctic system and suggest new themes and important topics

Human dimensions of the arctic system

Provide feedback to the HARC Science Management Office

Suggestions

We hope that this organization will allow people to focus their comments productively. Participant contributions may be in the form of: responses to the existing topics that expand and broaden the discussion, newly created topics to open discussion of new subjects, questions posed to the forum, or suggestions for new directions for the forum.

Questions, comments, or suggestions should be emailed to info@arcus.org

"Although climate change is often discussed in terms of gradual trends in temperature and precipitation, both indigenous knowledge and ice-core records paint a picture of more dramatically variable weather conditions"
-- People and the Arctic: A Prospectus for Research on the Human Dimensions of the Arctic System.