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Earth United States

The US is Getting Hit By Extreme Weather From All Sides (nbcnews.com) 281

The hazards are many. And they seem to come in all forms. From a report: The southwestern U.S. is reeling from record rainfall and extensive flooding from a rare tropical storm. Much of the central and southern parts of the country are in the grips of yet another oppressive heat wave. Nearly two weeks after catastrophic wildfires devastated the Hawaiian island of Maui, more fires are raging in the Pacific Northwest. And after a quiet start to this year's Atlantic hurricane season, activity in the basin is ramping up. All told, the various extremes are making for a turbulent week in nearly every corner of the country. Climate scientists also say it's an all-too-real look at how global warming increases the risks -- and consequences -- of the deadly events. "We're looking at a multi-hazard situation, where we're being hit by a string of different events over a short period of time," said Gonzalo Pita, an associate scientist and expert in disaster risk modeling at Johns Hopkins University. "It's like a double or triple whammy, and when they happen frequently or at the same time, the negative effects are compounded."

While it's sometimes difficult to measure the exact role of climate change in any particular weather event, scientists know that global warming is having an overall effect on the frequency and severity of such events. Studies have shown, for instance, that heat waves and drought are more likely in a warming world. Dry conditions subsequently increase the risk of wildfires. Similarly, warmer-than-usual oceans are a key ingredient for tropical storms and hurricanes to form. A warmer atmosphere can also hold more moisture, making the storms rainier and likelier to cause flooding. Those types of compounding risks will be on full display this week. Tropical Storm Hilary on Sunday became the first to hit Southern California in 84 years, dumping record rain over the region and causing widespread flash flooding. Though Hilary has weakened into a post-tropical cyclone, 26 million people were still under flood alerts Monday across parts of California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho.

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The US is Getting Hit By Extreme Weather From All Sides

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  • The climate doesn't give a shit about who thinks what when it comes to causality. Good thing, too, because the entire planet could burn to a cinder, and at no point will the camps reach a consensus. I no longer worry in slightest about who believes what. It's completely unimportant. Whatever the climate does, that's what will need to be worked with.

    I don't believe in the ability of the world to unify and make aligned decisions, so as far as I'm concerned, that's out. I suspect the ship has sailed on a lot o

    • I don't believe in the ability of the world to unify and make aligned decisions, so as far as I'm concerned, that's out.

      We can do it, for example, switching away from CFCs to save the ozone layer. The ability to make such decisions is predicated on replacement technology existing, which it still doesn't yet for CO2. Technology is improving though, and when it arrives, we'll switch to it.

      You should not expect people to make a massively expensive investment in energy when the problem can be solved by a much, much smaller investment in fire control (especially since fire control needs to be done anyway).

      • by Shaiku ( 1045292 )

        You should not expect people to make a massively expensive investment in energy when the problem can be solved by a much, much smaller investment in fire control (especially since fire control needs to be done anyway).

        How is fire control going to stop coral bleaching, flooding, droughts, hurricanes, failed crops, etc. If only this were a mere one-dimensional problem but it's not and it doesn't just affect humans. The increased severity and frequency of these events is more than a mere inconvenience to us, it is pushing all of living things across the planet out of a stable equilibrium.

        • I'll go on a tangent here. My apologies.

          The state of the ecosystems of the planet at any time is transitory. This state has never existed before, and it will never exist again. There's nothing "special" about this time, save for the fact that it happens to work really well for us. But this current balance is guaranteed to fade out no matter what we did, we do, or we don't do.

          The planet is never in stable equilibrium, except on the timescale of a human lifetime. Not really. It is always moving to another sta

        • How is fire control going to stop coral bleaching, flooding, droughts, hurricanes, failed crops, etc.

          It's not, but now you're just scaremongering.

    • by RobinH ( 124750 )
      We're not going to burn to a cinder for the simple reason that we have more than enough leverage to force the climate either direction. The two existential crises we're facing are: 1) global warming and 2) nuclear winter. We clearly have the ability to warm the planet up because we've been doing it for over a century, and we also have the ability to kick enough particulates into the atmosphere to cool it down significantly. The recent study about the affects of fewer ship trails in the Atlantic proves we
    • That's the beauty of reality. It doesn't go away if you don't believe in it. It's not a religion.

  • It's been a very nice, typical summer here in the northeast. Wish it was hotter, it heats up my swimming pool more.
    As usual it's cooling down as we approach Labor day, which is much nicer weather for motorcycle riding.

    • Cool story bro!

    • by RedK ( 112790 )

      It's actually been a cold summer in Canada. We didn't even get a heat wave at all. I used my pool I think 3 times back in June and it hasn't been really hot enough since for it.

      Usually get at least 8 weeks of pool worthy weather, and at least 2 weeks of unbearable humid eat where you can barely sleep without 3 fans blowing or the AC turned on. Not this year.

      • It's actually been a cold summer in Canada. We didn't even get a heat wave at all. I used my pool I think 3 times back in June and it hasn't been really hot enough since for it.

        Usually get at least 8 weeks of pool worthy weather, and at least 2 weeks of unbearable humid eat where you can barely sleep without 3 fans blowing or the AC turned on. Not this year.

        If this keeps up were gonna need to install pool heaters.

    • by CAIMLAS ( 41445 )

      Well, it's global warming season now, but global cooling season is upon us. That's the natural order of climate change.

  • Since this global weather change is obviously caused by human activity, maybe we should remove the humans. So, let's get rid of 6,400,000,000 people and the issue will be solved.

    Only question is who should volunteer?
  • And this is why i still live in the north east. Other than extra Rain we have had a gorgeous summer. Even with a bit of smog feom Canadian bacon cookers.

    • The good part of the NE is that we have actual seasons.
      Winter can be well below freezing and summer over 90.
      It can be dry or wet or whatever.
      I think the smoke from Canada is how they are attacking us.
      They don't use armies but weather. :D

  • Can tell a blathering alarmist wrote the article when wildfires are included as climate issue. The natural periodic wildfires have become huge conflagrations because of man.

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