Who thinks winter storms are "damaging"

[donbrown]

Read the last paragraph

El Niño Arrives; Expected to Persist through Winter 2009-10
July 15, 2009

NOAA scientists have announced the arrival of El Niño, a climate phenomenon with a significant influence on global weather, ocean conditions and marine fisheries. El Niño, the periodic warming of central and eastern tropical Pacific waters, occurs on average every two to five years and typically lasts about 12 months.

NOAA expects this El Niño to continue developing during the next several months, with further strengthening possible. The event is expected to last through winter 2009-10.

“Advanced climate science allows us to alert industries, governments and emergency managers about the weather conditions El Niño may bring so these can be factored into decision-making and ultimately protect life, property and the economy,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.

El Niño's impacts depend on a variety of factors, such as intensity and extent of ocean warming, and the time of year. Contrary to popular belief, not all effects are negative. On the positive side, El Niño can help to suppress Atlantic hurricane activity. In the United States, it typically brings beneficial winter precipitation to the arid Southwest, less wintry weather across the North, and a reduced risk of Florida wildfires.

El Niño’s negative impacts have included damaging winter storms in California and increased storminess across the southern United States. Some past El Niños also have produced severe flooding and mudslides in Central and South America, and drought in Indonesia.

 

[Bart]

Don,
I kind of get it. The severity of the extreme weather not only here but other parts of the world could be damaging.

I remember here locally, I think January 1st 1997. I have some pictures somewhere, but the creeks, rivers were running over their bank, Sacramento to Marysville was flooding, Hwy 50 and 88 and other roads were washed out. I was doing some work at Kirkwood at the time and the water ran into the diesel tanks and shut down the generators and all the power in the middle of the night.

 

[donbrown]

Don,
I kind of get it. The severity of the extreme weather not only here but other parts of the world could be damaging.

I remember here locally, I think January 1st 1997. I have some pictures somewhere, but the creeks, rivers were running over their bank, Sacramento to Marysville was flooding, Hwy 50 and 88 and other roads were washed out. I was doing some work at Kirkwood at the time and the water ran into the diesel tanks and shut down the generators and all the power in the middle of the night.

Well, that's a bummer that all that damage was caused.

I grew up on the Mississippi River banks and have seen a bit of flooding.
My family has lived near the Mississippi for at least 150 years and we comment about how "engineers" rationalize building near the banks because a flood will only happen every 100 years. It floods much more often, especially with the levy system causes a vortex and increased flows.

 

[WILLIS]

Yeah, they are damaging.......to my paycheck!

 

[Treesfearme]

yeah we had Reno under about 7 feet of water in 97 and then again in 2004 there was about 4 feet of snow and the best riding conditions imaginable!! Bring on El nino!!!!!!

Chris

 

[donbrown]

Thge month of July 2009 was the coldest in recorded history for the state of Illinois.