Lesson 13 Climate Change

Lesson 13 Climate Change

 Utah is warming at twice the global rate and is seeing more record setting rainfalls and a lower amounts of snow which causes a rapid depletion of snowpack.   Without this snowpack, many of our lakes and reservoirs become extremely low before the end of summer. Every winter, usually in January the Salt Lake Valley will experience an inversion. Residents in the Salt Lake Valley need to find a way to reduce carbon pollution. 

Many of the residents have started taking light rail to commute to work, buying electric cars, and installing solar panels to power their homes. 

Professor Simon Wang from the University of Utah says "he has noticed a pattern: high wind pressure in the western US and low wind pressure in the East. He says each system is stuck because of global warming. "

http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1002%2Fasl2.565?r3_referer=wol&tracking_action=preview_click&show_checkout=1

The best way to combat global warming is to increasing climate change awareness by assessing the vulnerability of natural resources and ecosystems to climate change and developing science-based adaptation strategies that can be used to understand and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Since we live in a colder climate, those living in Utah don't seem to acknowledge the climate change is happening. However, Utah has seen a steady trend of above-normal temperatures since spring 2013. The index quantifies temperature deviations, extreme weather and changes in sea level over time.

Warm Temperature Index for the Pacific Southwest region (includes Utah)

The Southwest region of the U.S. has seen a steady trend of above-normal temperatures since spring 2013, according to the Actuaries Climate Index, which quantifies temperature deviations, extreme weather and changes in sea level over time.


Cold temps are a recipe for skepticism about climate change

Lesson 12 Deserts and Coasts

Lesson 12 Deserts and Coasts

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Most sand dunes are located in the desert however, The Coral Pink Sand Dunes, found in southern Utah and just southeast of Zions National Park, are at the base of a mountain.  The dunes are formed from the erosion of pink-colored Navajo Sandstone surrounding the park. The high winds passing through the notch between the Moquith and Moccasin Mountains pick up loose sand particles and then drop them onto the dunes. Because the winds are forced through the Notch they pick up velocity and are able to sweep up the loose sandstone sediment on the tops of the mountains.  

These winds can move the sand dunes as much as 50 feet each year. The sand making up the dunes are well sorted and rounded. 

Grains of sand magnified

The wind leaves ripples in the sand  in the picture below.  You can also see that the wind has left a "shadow" around the clump of vegetation.