Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Science Snap (#15): Big freezes

Satellite image of North America's Big Freeze, January 2014. Image credit: BBC

Satellite image of North America’s Big Freeze, January 2014. Image credit: NASA

Satellite images are not just wonderful for science, they also capture public interest during periods of intense and news grabbing weather. Earlier this month North America was gripped by a prolonged Arctic Chill, plunging the continent into freezing temperatures and smashing temperature records in the process. Consecutive satellite images tracked the southward progress of the freezing continent that looked unnervingly like the scenes from The Day After Tomorrow

The UK hasn’t been exempt from similar chills. Remember the winter of 2010 anyone!?

Satellite image of the UK's big freeze, November-December 2010. Image Credit: the Met Office

Satellite image of the UK’s big freeze, November-December 2010. Image Credit: the Met Office

Elspeth is currently undertaking a PhD in Geology at the University of Bristol. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of ground deformation seen at a number of Kenyan Rift volcanoes. Elspeth tweets as @eamrobertson.