I don't have a degree, but attended college with people learning to be meterologists, an interesting field far beyond the news readers on television. And I have always been interested in Earth sciences and the weather. Here's my read on this, most of which you likely know and the references of what I remember. Banal and well-known, but here it is FWIW.
The actions of water in all of its states, frozen, liquid and vapor is determined by temperature. Its behavior in warmer of the two conditions affect ocean and air currents like boiling water on the stove. The underwater conveyor belt is described here:
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/ocean-conveyor-belt/?ar_a=1
As you see on that website, the Circumpolar Current, which is in the news now as it is fluctuating rapidly and people are rightly concerned. In fact, it's likely that all of your questions will be answered there. But anyway.
So much of our lives depend on the The Gulf Stream takes the effect of the warm waters of the Caribbean to Europe, producing a milder climate and rain. There is a similiar process at work in the Pacific, that gives the Pacific Northwest a similar gift from the warm waters around the Hawaii. It is written that the Little Ice Age which changed European culture was due to the slowing of that current allowing the cold to take over and lose those benefits, but I may be mistaken of that. I was only interested in the effects on human culture.
Volcanic eruptions are big for life on Earth, too. A historical example would be the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa. We were taught about the 'Year Without A Summer' in high school. Now we think more of the Yellowstone Caldera and what it will do to North America. Let's skip the last event in Latin America that effected the Earth's axis, although it's rich fodder for the imagination . Here's the Wikipedia on the last big event, Krakatoa:
The final explosive eruption was heard 3,000 miles away; caused at least 36,417 deaths; produced a volcanic winter (reducing worldwide temperatures by an average of 1.2 degrees Celsius for 5 years); and was the loudest explosion in recorded history.
The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa in the Dutch East Indies began on 20 May 1883 and culminated with several destructive eruptions of the Krakatoa caldera on 26 August 1883. On 27 August, the volcano collapsed in a chain of titanic explosions, destroying much of the island and its surrounding archipelago. Additional alleged seismic activity continued to be reported until February 1884, though reports of those after October 1883 were later dismissed by Rogier Verbeek's investigation. It was one of the deadliest and most destructive volcanic events in recorded history, with at least 36,417 deaths being attributed to the eruption itself and the tsunamis it created. Significant additional effects were also felt around the world.
In the year following the eruption, average global temperatures fell by as much as 1.2 °C (2.2 °F).[citation needed] Weather patterns continued to be chaotic for years, and temperatures did not return to normal until 1888.[citation needed] The eruption injected an unusually large amount of sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas high into the stratosphere, which was subsequently transported by high-level winds all over the planet. This led to a global increase in sulfuric acid (H2SO4) concentration in high-level cirrus clouds. The resulting increase in cloud reflectivity (or albedo) would reflect more incoming light from the sun than usual, and cool the entire planet until the suspended sulfur fell to the ground as acid precipitation.[12][citation needed]
So following these things is a job for government to maintain our survival. Two degrees doesn't sound like much, but see what it did back then. You might enjoy reading the rest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1883_eruption_of_Krakatoa
Hurricanes are said to be Mother Nature's way of cooling the Earth but it's not intentional, unless one believes that the Earth is a living being. It's the nature of matter to seek equilibrium. I'm guessing it is the nature of life to take advantage of the process.
It's wonderful to have water's behavior sustaining life on Earth in ways large and small. Water has to do certain things in different temperatures.
The jet stream itself and the lower air currents are affected by the Earth's rotation and the heat or relative lack of it, from the temperatures of the land, air and water, the warmth of the Sun maybe the Earth's or the Sun's magnetic field even, but IDK.
I could yap all day about this but I've got a lot to do. I'll look up more stuff if you or anyone wants when I'm done here.
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