Panama has had record rainfalls and flooding in December when rainy season usually subsides. We are not the only ones and many places around the world are experiencing highly unusual weather patterns. I read a report that was referenced in a John Mauldin newsletter the other day and drilled down to the article that was hosted as a free peek at Browning who covers World Reports Covering Climates, Behavior and Commodities. There is also a note on Latin America and what to expect this coming year.
It seems that there is a reason the weather is so harsh this winter, and a big part of that is Kamchatka. The cooling effect of the Russian volcanoes was enhanced by the current La Niña. This year’s La Niña began early this summer and has been warping global weather patterns for the past six months. In summertime, this meant hotter weather. In winter it creates colder and stormier conditions.
In April 2010, an obscure Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, completely disrupted European air traffic patterns. At its peak, the troublesome cloud of volcanic debris stretched from Canada to Russia and its impact was felt worldwide In December 2010, obscure volcanoes on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, totally disrupted North Hemispheric weather and air traffic patterns. Icy weather plunged deep into the Northern Hemisphere, from the US and Canada through Europe and Asia. (In the process, it chilled the UN Climate Change Conference in tropical Mexico.) California’s Mammoth Mountain was buried in 9 to 13.5 feet (2.7 – 4.1 meters) of snow while New York was buried in 2 feet (60 cm) of snow. Twice Florida crops were hit with freezing temperatures. This recordbreaking weather will affect global crop production and food prices. Obscure polar volcanoes can have very expensive consequences.