Balmy in March at 35⁰ Fahrenheit

Thawed Permafrost   (Photo by Awing88)

When Alaska is consistently warmer than usual, it could be a sign that all is not well.

So what could be wrong with liquid glaciers and gaseous permafrost?  In a word: plenty.

When sea ice breaks up, coastal cities particularly pay the price.  They are no longer protected from “monster storms” and are easily flooded.

Permafrost is a vast storehouse of carbon.  When thawing, it releases large amounts of methane, a gas that is “30 times more potent” than carbon dioxide at trapping heat.  This vicious cycle can accelerate warming trends even further.

It’s not too late to reverse the cycle.  However, it very soon might be.    

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/weather/alaska-temps-expected-to-soar-40-degrees-above-normal/ar-BBVmmNw?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=BHEA000

Copyright March 30, 2019 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved