I think the point that’s been made before by others is true, that global warming has caused more SSWs and displacements of the polar vortex, which warms the poles fastest and destabilises the ice/ increases its melt, and masks climate change for mid latitudes, especially continental countries, such as the USA, which adds to their higher rates of climate change scepticism. Yet these extreme cold air displacements are in fact evidence of climate change. I think this is far less common in ocean dominated countries like ours, where sea temperatures are so much higher than normal, hence our milder winters in recent times. The El Niño is a strong one, and this has poor correlations with cold weather for the UK. Joe D’Aleo has done exhaustive correlations in this regard. His work demonstrated that it was weak El Niños or the nothing years (La Nada), that were best associated with cold weather outbreaks with the eastern seaboard of the USA and the UK (along with other parts of NW Europe).
Originally Posted by: BJBlake