Arctic Ozone Hole Will Be Severe This Year

dirutz writes "Thought this year's weather patterns were odd? Next year's might be worse because of the thinning of the ozone layer. Looks like there's something to add to that list of New Year's resolutions/hopes/dreams."

Re:Could somebody tell me...

[Miriku chan]

increase in passing radiation means increase in energy in the layer. this energy has to be released through things like faster winds and changes to the pressure zones. those changes then will screw up normal style movement of air currents and water currents.

more or less.

Re:Could somebody tell me...

[agnana]

True, but although the ozone hole does pass through shortwave radiation, it actually results in less absorption of longwave radiation. So in fact the ozone hole results in cooling rather than warming (stratospheric ozone is a greenhouse gas). The main impact of ozone thinning is likely to be on the location of the jet stream. Reference to this is Shindell and Schmidt, Geophys. Res. Lett, Sept. 25, 2004.