[BC] Watch the (not) airplane traffic live over Europe.

[Mike McCarthy]

> On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:19 AM, Mike McCarthy <towers at mre.com> wrote:
>> I spoke with a NWS friend of mine and he advised if this continues for
>> some time, the northern hemisphere 2010 summer could be cooled by a
>> degree
>> or two.
>
> Yes. Unfortunately it's a too small event to slow down global warming,
> so it will not help us much in that regard...

Wellllll...depends on whom you speak. In my conversation with my NWS
friend (who is an atmospheric model writer), he didn't have any idea why
this particular upper air system persists so strongly over the
mid-latitiude Atlantic. It might delay it by a year or so.  Especially if
a subtantial amount is transferred to the southern hemishpere.

But unless there is a sustained contribution over an extended period of
time, the dust will wash out and settle and we're back to what ever nature
has in store for us long term should nothing else occur.

There is a ripple effect however in so many ways beyond global warming.
The refineries are now beginning to ramp down Jet-A fuel production as all
the tanks are full. Which means oil sent to them is also being curtailed.
Depending on the refinery, that could also mean tankers not being
offloaded and backing up in docks UNLESS their cargo is sent to another
refinery for other purposes. But no matter which way you look at it, the
grounding is a shock to the total fuel refining system.

Then there is the total price of oil as demand on the spot market is
depressed right now. Plus all the people idled as a result. OTOH, some
airliners are using this down time for doing maintenance on the planes. 
Which might just result in few mechanical delays once everything is up and
running.  And maybe a few specially scheduled flights to get stranded
people to their destinations.

MM