Southern Hemisphere Winters

[frosty]

When South America has its winter, were in our summer months here, correct? Are there winters down south as severe as ours in the north? I just can't imagine Chile or Brazil having a foot of snow in the local villages.

 

[jd]

Well, it would depend on where you are talking about in the southern hemisphere. In general though, because the southern hemisphere has a lot more water vs. land when compared to the northern hemisphere, there is not as sharp a contrast in temperatures because you cannot build up the arctic air masses like form in Siberia and northern Canada.

However, some pretty cold air builds up in Antarctica and can find it's way north into the lower latitudes and contribute to some pretty big storms.

Another factor to less snow in the southern hemisphere is the fact that a lot of the land areas are too close to the equator to even get cold in the first place.

The snowiest places in the southern hemisphere are all at higher altitudes like the Andes in South America, the mountains in southeast Australia and also in New Zealand.

 

[frosty]

So, in order to snowmobile down south, better bring an extreme team to ride in the higher terrain of the mountains.

Binging surrounded by water keeps the winters surpressed, so why does the UP get hammered year after year. Or does that fall back to the sub arctic jet stream bringing the cold air in over the lake from the large land mass of Canada.

I'm kind of answering my own question aren't I.

 

[jd]

Lake Superior is not big enough to modify the weather like the oceans do. It can make LES and also make areas immediately adjacent to it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, but it cannot modify large scale weather features. All of it's modification is done on a local level.

-John

 

[snoluver1]

Hey Frosty, I'm down for New Zealand if you are!!

 

[frosty]

Maybe in two weeks, still waiting on dad.

That would be awesome, I have a passport!

Winter should just be starting in New Zealand.

Right John?!

 

[blutooth]

Sorry to jump in on this one but my in-laws are in New Zealand for the year... When we talked to them last week they said they are starting to feel the first signs of Fall - crisp cool nights, cooler days... They are in the smack dab middle of the North Island. Their blog has some current pictures of the mountains in the South Island which they visited a couple weeks ago...

http://www.lpnzadventure.blogspot.com/

 

[snoluver1]

I would love to get there someday. I just don't think I could handle a 20 hour plane ride! I think I'd rather try to water skip all the way before I sat on a plane for that long.

 

[frosty]

Don't be a wuss

Come on, its only 20 hours and probably a half dozen lay overs, but think of the outcome!!

How many sleds do you think ride there?! Talk about virgin powder.

Now I wonder if they have snowmobiles there to rent?

 

[snoluver1]

There is a rental outfit there. I've seen it on-line somewhere. If I remember right they bring you up in a choper and drop you off on a glaciar, where the sleds are waiting for you. I doubt there is alot of traffic. Talk about some sweet footage!! Maybe we could get some sponsorship and make a flick this summer. Whata ya think?

 

[frosty]

I'll put some feelers out to like Red Bull, or maybe an OEM can throw some money our way. Could you imagine, not a soul in sight, the whole glacier to yourself. That would be sweet!! I wonder if there's trees up there?

 

[frosty]

Here's another thought, we become merchant marines on a fishing boat or a oil tanker or something, and sail down there. You know most of our oil comes from Brazil anyway.