“Show Me Where The Global Warming Is Touching You”

White on White Privilege

It used to be that Americans, who were free to disagree on everything, had one safe space where they could speak civilly to each other. No more; we can’t even agree on the weather because SCIENCE! Or something sort of like science. Take this weekend’s storm in New England:

CNBC – Climate change, particularly the warming ocean, probably influenced the strength of the storm, atmospheric researchers said.

Much warmer ocean waters “are certainly playing a role in the strengthening of the storm system and increased moisture available for the storm,” said University of Oklahoma meteorology professor Jason Furtado…[before whispering the quiet part] “But it isn’t the only thing.”

Once upon a time we had blizzards, then they morphed into more dramatic bomb cyclones and now, compliments of the BBC no less, we’ve landed on the truly sensational: “US East Coast blanketed by ‘bombogenesis’ snowstorm.” A bombogenesis that even warrants it’s own name: Winter Storm Kenan. Never mind that “Kenan” sounds about as threatening as “Percival.”

So yes, the east coast is blanketed in snow that “near hurricane” winds whipped into some daunting drifts and brought water ashore causing flooding of some low coastal areas. It’s winter people; weather happens. And it’s been happening for millennia. What family with agricultural roots doesn’t have a story about some poor ancestor who went out in a blizzard to feed the cows and never returned because he failed to tie a rope between the house and the barn?

Whiteout rope: still useful after all these years

Enough with the weather hysteria for goodness sake, it’s New England, it’s winter; it’s not as if these folks have never seen a blizzard before. As recently as 2010 the East Coast lived through Snowmageddon and then there were the Snowpocalypses of 2013, 14, and 16. How can anyone be a Global Warming denier after all this?

Drudge predicts the end of history, 2016

Global warming is also increasing the amount of moisture in the atmosphere, causing not just increased rainfall, but increased snowfall as well when conditions are right. So while it might seem contradictory, global warming seems to be part of the reason for recent “snowmageddon” events. -NS

And here’s more news: there are and always have been blizzards – some in places other than the East Coast.

Mid-West blizzard of 1967

Mid-West Blizzard of ‘78

It was a glorious time to be young!

So leave your measly bombogenesis of 2022 where the sun don’t shine. The human race has been dealing with weather for a very long time.

Neighborhood shovelers after the ‘67 blizzard in Grand Rapids, some taking a smoke break. And look: black and white, male and female working together without benefit of an advertising agency.

So pick up a shovel and start shoveling. For we have much larger fish to fry than a little Global Warming.

“Show me on the polar bear where global warming is touching you.”

P.S. here in the mountains 2 feet of snow is known as “a good powder day.”