Image Thread 28

[Labster]

I think this glib explanation is somewhat wrong.  It has very little to do with the strength of the jet stream; the jet stream isn't an object in itself but created by the general circulation of the atmosphere.  What's happening is that the atmosphere is trying to balance the heat which is mostly absorbed in the tropics and equalize the temperature by transferring it towards the poles which are cooler. 

By increasing the temperature, you increase those intrusions of warm air to the high latitudes, which by necessity displaces more cold air to the low latitudes.  You've increased the amplitude of the waves (particularly Rossby waves) by increasing the energy in the system.  The jet stream can be stronger or weaker in this new system, depending on weather -- it doesn't have to be zonal flow to be strong.

Says the man who had continual money problems his entire life, and often had to write more novels just to recoup what he lost on a harebrained investment scheme.