LYRICS
Coming this summer
A climate bummer
More drought in the corn belt
More strain from the hurricane
Chorus:
The seam of the jet stream
Moving North
Though it may feel cooler to you
It’s a limited point-of-view
Atmosphere ocean feedback
Out of whack
But don’t be a fool
The ocean didn’t cool
(chorus)
Closer inspection
Of tropical convection
Oh, well, upwell
Bequeath cold water from beneath
(chorus)
The way atmospheric waves behave
Communicate La Niña
Coming at ya
No surprise
La Niña drives
(chorus)
- La-Nina-Part-I.mp3 (unplugged to save energy)
- La-Nina-Part-II.mp3
- La-Nina-Part-II-Instrumental.mp3
- La-Nina-LH-Casio-WK-3500.MID (Left Hand / also controlled Korg PS60)
- La-Nina-RH-Yamaha-PSR-740.MID (Right Hand / also controlled microKorg and miniNOVA vocorder)
Chords: Bbm Db Fm Bbm / Bbm Fm Fm Bbm; Part II @ 148 Beats Per Minute
Instrumentation: Vocals (TC-Helicon VOICELIVE and MiniNova Vocorder), Ibanez Acoustic Guitar (AW54CE), Keyboards (Korg PS60, Casio WK-3500, Yamaha PSR-740, MiniNova, MicroKorg)
ABOUT THE SONG
This song delves into the phenomenon of La Niña and its impact on climate change. La Niña, characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, is associated with various weather patterns worldwide. The lyrics convey a sense of concern about the consequences of La Niña, particularly during the summer months.
The mention of “climate bummer” highlights the negative effects expected during La Niña events, such as increased drought in the corn belt and heightened strain from hurricanes. These weather extremes disrupt agricultural productivity and pose risks to communities vulnerable to severe weather events.
The reference to the “seam of the jet stream moving North” indicates shifts in atmospheric circulation patterns associated with La Niña. While some regions may experience cooler temperatures, the song emphasizes that this perspective is limited, as La Niña can bring a range of complex and sometimes unexpected impacts.
The lyrics also touch on the atmospheric-ocean feedback loop, suggesting that disruptions in this system contribute to the erratic behavior of La Niña. The mention of “upwelling” refers to the process where cold water from deeper ocean layers rises to the surface, influencing sea surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions.
Overall, the song warns listeners about the disruptive nature of La Niña events and underscores the interconnectedness of oceanic and atmospheric processes in shaping global climate patterns.
ABOUT THE SCIENCE
In the United States, hurricanes stand out as the most financially burdensome type of climate-related disaster. While the number of disasters related to extreme weather events such as rain, hail, and wind, resulting in over a billion dollars in damage may be higher, the sheer magnitude of damage caused by a single hurricane surpasses them. For example, in 2023, there were 17 extreme weather events, each causing over a billion dollars in damage, but no hurricanes occurred. However, Hurricane Ida alone incurred an estimated $75 billion in damages, making it the costliest disaster of 2021.
In 2023, the world experienced an El Niño phase, which typically reduces hurricane activity. However, the climate pattern shifted towards La Niña in 2024. La Niña patterns often amplify the Atlantic hurricane season, particularly concerning when paired with months-long streaks of record warmth across the Atlantic Ocean.
The chaotic interactions between various factors, including ocean currents, sea surface temperatures, and atmospheric circulation, contribute to the overall climate patterns experienced on the East Coast. Climate change can influence the jet stream and atmospheric rivers, impacting weather patterns on the East Coast of the USA. The jet stream is a key player in steering weather systems and atmospheric rivers.
It’s important to note that the relationship between the jet stream and atmospheric rivers is part of a larger, complex climate system. Human induced climate change is an exponential component of an unordered system (chaos theory). That means global warming is accelerating at a rapid rate in a complex way. Our climate model uses chaos theory in an attempt to adequately account for humans and forecasts a global average temperature increase of 9 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Climate change is expected to have complex and significant impacts on the jet stream, Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), and atmospheric rivers.
Our climate model / experiment employs chaos theory to comprehensively consider human impacts and projects a potential global average temperature increase of 9℃ above pre-industrial levels. Global warming is a consequence of elevated thermal energy in the climate system, which comprises various subsystems. Chaos theory underscores the intricate and nonlinear nature of dynamic systems. Human well-being is compromised above a 1.5-degree temperature rise, rendering much of the Earth uninhabitable. A 9-degree Celsius increase would bring the Earth close to a wet-bulb temperature incapable of sustaining human life.
What Can I Do? There are numerous actions you can take to contribute to saving the planet. Each person bears the responsibility to minimize pollution, discontinue the use of fossil fuels, reduce consumption, and foster a culture of love and care. The Butterfly Effect illustrates that a small change in one area can lead to significant alterations in conditions anywhere on the globe. Hence, the frequently heard statement that a fluttering butterfly in China can cause a hurricane in the Atlantic. Be a butterfly and affect the world.
Here is a list of additional actions you can take.