Now we have a “new” problem. “New” is highlighted because it’s a term recently dropped on us by the wannabee Meteorological Illuminati to explain the outbreak of mongrels attached to hydrants around the northern hemisphere like gelid lawn art. It seems the Meteorological Illuminati say we’re trapped in a “Polar Vortex” (could you hear the fanfare in the distance as it was announced?)

The Meteorological Illuminati are those with axes to grind taking snippets of information and blowing it up into something like “Global Warming” which, when that theory started falling apart due to falling temperatures and a thickening polar icecap, became “Climate Change”.

The media’s chewing this one like a contented cow molar-mashing a cud. Some believe it’s a result of humanity’s unfettered coal burning and its unbridled pursuit of suicidal self-aggrandizement.

This is nothing “new”. It’s happened before; probably many times. The following was derived from historical references.

In 1816 there was an anomaly known as “The Year Without Summer”. An arctic mass of major intensity delayed the change of the seasons, damaged crop yields dramatically and affected the entire northern hemisphere. This was recorded in the journals of the age and through recent scientific research. (www.erh.noaa.gov/car/Newsletter/htm…/yearwithoutsummer)

Summer that year was cooler. May recorded light snow in the Canadian Province of Quebec. Frost accumulated as far south as Virginia. When the area recovered from the cold; milder, sunny conditions returned to the Northeast by the last week of May. Then a strong cold front crossed New England with light snow again reported in Quebec. Frost this time extended south to Pennsylvania. Fruit trees died and acres of corn were frost-killed in Maine.

June warmed but quickly turned stormy. A strong Nor’easter developed. Rain mixed with snow in Quebec.  Scattered light snow was noted over the New York highlands and much of Northern New England.  This winter type storm moved into Canada dumping 6 to 12 inches of snow over most of Northern New England with reports of 2 foot drifts in Quebec. There was frost every morning and reports of trees frost-blackened or frozen to the point of “scorching” across most of New England. The weather became more typical of June toward the end. There was even a heat wave from the 22nd through the 24^th.

July was no better. A strong cold front crossed New England killing corn, beans, cucumbers and squash. There was talk of famine predicted. But, by the middle of the month, hardy grains such as wheat and rye along with potatoes were doing quite well and the building hysteria was quelled for the time. It warmed.

The middle of August brought another frost to central New York State and all of New England damaging crops. Temperatures fell 30 degrees after a strong cold front passed again. This isn’t uncommon for the area, but is abnormal for August. Frost was reported as far south as Massachusetts. Corn was destroyed from Albany to Boston. On the 28^th of August another strong cold front, crossed the Northeast with severe frost that ended the growing season in most of Northern New England.

Economically, the summer of 1816 was a disaster. Only a third to a fourth of the hay was harvested with only 10 percent of the crop harvested in some areas. Orchard yields were said to be barren in many instances but enough grains, wheat, and potatoes harvested prevented a famine. But still things weren’t easy to endure. Corn prices rose 300% to approximately $3.00 (+/-) a bushel. With crop failure and the shortage of hay, Farmers sold their cows and pigs due to lack of feed. This drove meat prices down. So much meat on the market caused beef prices to drop from $15.50 to $7.50 a barrel. Pork prices fell from $16 to $4 a barrel.

Whacko theories abounded as to what caused the drastic weather changes. Some believed it punishment for sinners’ wayward acts. Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rod experiments were suggested as the cause because such scientific endeavors were seen as irreligious and unnatural.

Scientific theories concerning climate data obtained from trees, ice cores, marine sediment and historical documents indicate 1816 was part of a mini ice age lasting from 1400 to around 1860. Lower solar output produced harsh winters, shorter growing seasons and drier climates.

Another possible cause was the Indonesian “Tambora” volcano erupted on April 15th 1815. The eruption lasted one week and rumbled for 3 months. “Tambora” was one of the largest recorded eruptions with estimates of 1.7 million tons of dust put into the air equaling 6 million atomic bombs. The theory is that the dust reached the Northern Hemisphere during 1816 reducing solar output. The following is offered as a counter-point to people potentially “Goring” this bull based on self-serving hysteria:

“It’s a fact that Kilauea (HI) has been releasing more than twice the amount of noxious sulfur dioxide gas (SO₂) as the single dirtiest power plant on the U.S. mainland.

So it’s also understandable that, with the emerging report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IGCC), some people want to understand how volcanoes might factor into the rise in greenhouse gas concentrations-specifically carbon dioxide (CO₂)-that is being reported worldwide. The changes in global CO₂concentration during the past 600,000 years have mimicked the changes in global temperature.” Other theories seek to contradict the import of this statement.

It’s to be remembered the earth is a closed circuit, multi-vented furnace emitting volcanic effluent daily at a scale noted to be greater than “twice the amount of noxious sulfur dioxide gas (SO₂) as the single dirtiest power plant on the U.S. mainland” and that this is occurring around the globe.

This hemispheric “Polar Vortex” is nothing new. Climates change. We need to get over it and adapt.

Thanks for listening.