By Rusty Dawkins, Meteorologist/Climatologist
A thousand years ago, the Vikings were able to sail to ice free harbors in Greenland and establish colonies there. Winters in northern latitudes were mild and summers were longer. However, two hundred years later, the climate began to change drastically to a colder climate. The English were unable to continue their vineyards and orange groves in China were slowly killed. The earth’s temperature on average only cooled a few degrees, however, that was enough to plunge Europe, Asia and North America into the Little Ice Age. From the 12th century to the mid 19th century, most of the northern hemisphere suffered through very cold winters and short growing seasons during the summer. There were massive crop failures that led to famine and social unrest in Europe. There was a bit of a break in the 15th century as milder temperatures developed, however the coldest temperatures were yet to come. Some of the coldest weather since the last ice age hit the northern hemisphere from the 16th century through the first half of the 19th century. Rivers and harbors that rarely if ever iced over now froze during the winter. Scientists theorize that changes in ocean currents may have been a part of the cause. Another theory suggests that greater volcanic activity helped cool the earth. In fact, the year 1816 was called the year without a summer due to colder summer temperatures caused by a massive eruption in Indonesia!
Rusty Dawkins grew up in Gordon and graduated from Gordon High School in 1991. He then spent a couple of years at Chadron State College before finishing his meteorology degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.