Is Global Warming real?

If you ask President Trump, Global Warming isn’t real, It’s FAKE NEWS! But if global warming is fake, why are we getting so many major hurricanes? Hurricanes gain strength and grow from the warm water of the Caribbean. When they pass over cooler water they loose energy. “The U.S. has never been hit, since we started collecting records in 1851, by two Category 4 or stronger hurricanes in the same season.” Jeff Masters

It looks like that is about to change. Hurricane Harvey just left Texas and now Irma is about to make landfall in Florida.

What’s causing these “Storms of the Century”

It’s a bit confusing actually. When we have an El Nino  year extremely warm temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, push strong winds into the Atlantic, creating high levels of wind shear that stops hurricanes. In a La Nina year the opposite happens.  Pacific sea temperatures reverse and cool which tends to drive hurricanes. But here’s the thing (there’s always a thing), this year is neutral! It’s neither El Nino or LA Nina.

2005 was Neutral too

In 2005 the conditions were much like they are this year. Think back. We had  hurricanes Rita (Cat 3) , Wilma (cat 4) and of course Katrina, (cat 5).  Katrina was like Harvey in that much of the damage was due to flooding. In the case of Katrina levees failed but Harvey stalled and rained and rained and rained!

Why I Believe in Global Warming

I’ve heard all of the arguments about the weather being cyclical and I agree. But I do believe that the water is warmer so storms are more extreme when they happen. Something is making the oceans warmer. Something is making the ice caps melt which is making the earth warmer. I’m not a scientist but I’m sure all of our human polution can’t be helping the situation.