An article about our exceptionally cold weather in yesterday's paper said (roughly) that the record fall ice-melt in the arctic over the last four years has resulted in an altered jet stream pattern which is allowing frigid weather to engulf the conus east coast instead of pushing it out past Greenland. If so, this is NOT GOOD NEWS for those of us who suffer the breathless summers here in order to enjoy the mild winters!

I'm guessing that this same phenomenon may also be responsible for the "invisible protective shield*" all but preventing land-falling tropical cyclones over the gulf states and SE coast in recent years. You think?

Personally, I'd MUCH rather live with the occasional threat of a hurricane than any more winters like last year's!
*(read: 'shear')

bjh