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Global Warming, Hurricane Katrina and the National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation commissioned a study on Hurricane Katrina. The question being asked? Did global warming have any effect on the strength of the storm?
Here’s an excerpt of the release from the group that conducted the study, the National Center for Atmospheric Research:
Global warming does not guarantee that each year will set records for hurricanes, according to Trenberth. He notes that last year’s activity was related to very favorable upper-level winds as well as the extremely warm SSTs. Each year will bring ups and downs in tropical Atlantic SSTs due to natural variations, such as the presence or absence of El Nino, says Trenberth. However, he adds, the long-term ocean warming should raise the baseline of hurricane activity.
So a big deal? Sure, but don’t let this little piece of information be an errant reminder. Our planet is getting hotter, and while it could be a natural occurence, in all likelihood our behavior is making the Earth warmer than it should be right now. Yes, we’re spewing quite a bit of pollution into the air, and it has to have some sort of effect.
Don’t you think?
4 Responses to “Global Warming, Hurricane Katrina and the National Science Foundation”
Apparently it doesn’t have to do with frequency so much as intensity. There was an abnormal amount of cat4/cat5s last year, with one having the lowest eye pressure in recorded history.
Wonder what this year will bring? There was hardly any winter, and the Gulf is unseasonably warm.
A bunch of Cat 5s rolling over what’s left of Louisiana and our battared oil infustructure and we could be in real trouble.
Oh, I forgot, we already are. Good luck residents of the Gulf Coast(myself included), you are now on your own. But at least all you rich red-staters got your tax cut. FEMA? Drowned in Grovers bathtub.
Snarky
Are you sure that wasn’t the second lowest pressure in recorded history? Anyway, no matter we are all going to die from our own filth it seems.
Oh wait! Exxon did a study too! The result was….all the NSF, NCAR, NOAA, NSASA scientists were liars and there is no global warming. We have this rather assshat fellow down in Phoenix whom has a science degree too, and, well he says those other scientists are wrong and he is right. Of course we pay him half a mill a year but he would never lie because he is a scientist. Did I mention he was a scientist? So go ahead and buy cars and get rid of these darn old oppressive environmental laws that is such a heavy burden on profit. Hey, no global warming! Don’t worry…Be happy!
No..I think that last one that hit the keys was the lowest, Wilbur or something.
Doesn’t matter, its like arguing about how big the icberg we hit was.
End result…the same.
yep….we sink anyway.