Randomania

[drwex]

Buncha stuff I want to dump out, so this is the dumping ground. Be careful what you step in.

Holy F*CK
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2005264-0921/Rita.A2005264.1610.2km.jpg

There is now fairly well understood evidence that the frequency of storms is cyclically increasing in the Americas (going up here and nowhere else) but the severity of all storms is increasing globally. The Gulf of Mexico in particular is a major heat source as average surface water temp there has shot up nearly a full degree in the past decade. If this latest monster wipes Galveston, as currently forecast, that will be two US cities gone in one season. "Unprecedented" doesn't begin to cover it. Sadly, I fear this will not be the last such season.

I do not do interest memes because, well, I have no interests. At least, none that increase my LJ reading.

I wish people were more comfortable owning their words.

I continue to wrestle with my personal demons.

Why isn't today Friday?

Soon it will be fireplace and hot tub weather. I'm quite looking forward to that.

Comments

storm

[tisana.livejournal.com]

That hurricane looks huge. Is it normal to be that large? I mean, I know Katrina was abnormally large.
Eek.

Re: storm

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

"Looks huge" can be deceptive. The "looks" come from the amount of cloud-cover, and even a "mere" tropical depression can have a cloud-cover which could blot out both Carolinas.

However, when you get 165 mph winds, they can kick up a lot of moisture; combine that with the heat that the vortex is sucking out of the Gulf, and you do get a nasty feedback loop which makes abnormally large storms.

On the bright side, the storms are sending all that heat up towards the stratosphere, where it can radiate away at night, so they're actually helping to decrease global warming.

Not all things which decrease global warming are worth it.

Re: storm

[drwex]

Yes, the storm is abnormally large, even for a Cat 4. It now appears that the track will turn north, which will spare us the sight of a Cat 1 hurricane hitting Dallas/Fort Worth. I don't even want to contemplate the havoc that would ensue.