The Real Reason Why This Week’s Massive Ice Storm Is So Unusual

[marmar]

Climate Progress / By Emily Atkin

The Real Reason Why This Week’s Massive Ice Storm Is So Unusual
Global warming supercharges storms, causes abnormal drought conditions, and ultimately, it causes damage.


February 13, 2014 | As the Weather-Channel-dubbed “Winter Storm Pax” barrels across much of the eastern United States this week, the warnings have been just short of apocalyptic. “This is a storm of historical proportions with potentially catastrophic … crippling impacts,” the National Weather Service’s Atlanta office said in a 3:39 a.m. forecast discussion on Wednesday. “Catastrophic… crippling… paralyzing… choose your adjective.”

“If residents have not completed their preparations,” the NWS continued, “it may be too late.”

Indeed, the effects of the storm have already been — pun intended — chilling. As Slate’s meteorologist Eric Holthaus rightfully predicted, the Atlanta area got more than four inches of snow topped by as much as one inch of ice, which can add “thousands of pounds of additional weight to trees and power lines.”

“Add on gusty winds of 20-30 mph, as are also forecasted, and you have a recipe for disaster, with 100-year-old oaks and hickories snapping like matchsticks,” Holthaus writes. “As a result, Wednesday’s storm could have lingering impacts across the region for years, if not decades.” ......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/environment/reason-why-weeks-massive-ice-storm-so-unusual

[xfundy]

1. Meanwhile, athletes are wearing shorts in Sochi.

"Global climate change is a librul myth!"

/sarc