Increased volcanic eruptions may cool planet Earth

The Chilean Puyehue-Cordon-Caulle volcano has been erupting for the past three weeks approximately 550 miles south of Santiago, Chile's capital. These eruptions could persist on and off for several weeks, perhaps longer.

The huge cloud of ash circled the globe disrupting flights in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Australia and New Zealand. More than 3,500 people living near the base of the volcano were evacuated. Tourists were warned to avoid southern Chile and parts of neighboring Argentina. Livestock have been endangered by the thick clouds of ash that rose to levels more than 10 miles high in the atmosphere during the early big eruption.

A 'rift' has been torn in the earth's crust that's more than 6 miles long and 3 miles across. Since Saturday, June 4, there have been more than 400 earthquakes in southern Chile. Fortunately, they have been mostly minor tremors, at least thus far.

The Puyehue volcano last erupted in 1960, the same year that a deadly earthquake hit Chile, killing thousands of people.

Chile's chain of nearly 3,000 volcanoes is the world's second largest after Indonesia, where there have been several large eruptions in the past two decades. Approximately 500 of Chile's volcanoes are described as "active." There have been at least 60 major eruptions in Chile in the past 500 years, 12 in the past 70 years alone.

It's possible that we'll see a minor cooling effect from the Chilean eruptions and, perhaps, from other strong volcanic eruptions in Iceland and elsewhere.

Remember, the earth cooled about 1 degree Fahrenheit following the June 16, 1991, enormous eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines. That volcanic blast spewed out more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in just four days than all of mankind had emitted up to that point of time in its entire habitation of this planet.

Between more frequent volcanic eruptions and ever-increasing forest and brush fires, we humans can do very little to cut this 'natural' type of carbon footprint. We account for less than 3 percent of this added carbon, especially when we include the huge amounts emitted by the oceans on earth in the form of water vapor.

I agree that we need to cut pollution, particularly in the urban 'heat island' regions. We should "go green" whenever and wherever possible. This is our duty as stewards on the earth, whether one believes in man-made global warming or not. But, as a Christian, I leave things in God's hands. He's in control. Perhaps, as He has in the past, He's using weather "to get our attention."

It's quite likely that we'll have to endure many more forest and brush fires in the coming years along with several huge volcanic eruptions. The wild weather should last until at least 2038.

With increasing solar activity, 2012 could be a very 'interesting' year weatherwise and otherwise, just like the Mayans and others predicted thousands of years ago. Randy Mann and I will cover this topic in July.

NORTH IDAHO WEATHER REVIEW AND LONG-RANGE OUTLOOKS

Last Wednesday's afternoon high was 86 degrees at my station on Player Drive in Coeur d'Alene. This was the warmest reading in town in nearly 10 months. It was likewise 86 degrees on Sept. 3, 2010.

Spokane hit 85 degrees on Wednesday. This was the first time that the Lilac City had surpassed the 80-degree mark since Oct. 2, 2010, their longest such period in recorded history between 80-degree plus afternoons, 265 days.

Thunderstorms early on Thursday put an abrupt end to the area's first summerlike weather as temperatures dipped back into the upper 60s and lower 70s. Similar readings were likely for several days through Sunday, June 26, 'IRONMAN DAY.' Then, we should see a slow warming back into the upper 70s and lower 80s by the July 4 holiday weekend. Some scattered thunderstorms will likewise occur from today through Friday, mainly in the afternoon and evening hours.

Longer-term, both Randy Mann and I see lots of warm to hot 'Sholeh Days' at or above 90 degrees in July, August and early September. Precipitation amounts should be less than normal in the region into early October, maybe later, if the expected high pressure ridge remains in a stationary position for at least 90 days.

I still see GREAT WEATHER for this August's annual North Idaho Fair and Rodeo. I look for afternoon highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s with very sparse amounts of rainfall.

Cliff Harris is a climatologist who writes a weekly column for The Press. His opinions are his own. Email sfharris@roadrunner.com