It may be cold this spring, but that isn’t important. Last spring was really warm, so don’t concern yourself with the snow and cold.
Similarly, it may be cold this spring, but tornadoes are only concerned with the trend. They know that we are in a period of global warming, which is why they chose to appear in great numbers this year – despite the cold.
Mr. Goddard, this has nothing to do with this post, but if you would, find some info on the floods along the Mississippi and the demolition of the levee (I would myself but i am internet illiterate)… this is unbelievable. Many places along the mighty-mississip are gauging historic flooding… rain levels in FEET in the last few weeks (and no sign of slowing). Massive crop and property loss… very significant, yet no one seems to be talking about it. Just a suggestion…
Luke – here is a link to Dr. Jim Angel’s Illinois State Climatologist site. As you can see Southern Illinois got 10 inches of rain through April 30 so anybody talking about rainfall in feet is bereft of facts.
http://climateillinois.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/record-setting-april-rainfall-in-illinois/
Here is a look at Illinois historical temperatures and precipitation and while there appears to be no historic correlation between temperatures and precipitation at the state level, Illinois has seen lower than normal temperatures in 2009, 2010 and so far in 2011. A short term correlation (2 years but not scientific) would show an increase in precipitation with a decrease in temperatures. Look at 2010 when pricipitation shot up as temperatures dropped below normal.
http://www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/Climate_change/iltren-temp.png
http://www.isws.illinois.edu/atmos/statecli/Climate_change/iltren-prcp.png
You can ask Dr. Angel questions on line by clicking on the comments link if you have questions about Cairo Illinois flooding or other rain/flood topics. My experience is that while he doesn’t have all the answers to my questions, he has responded to 100% of my inquiries.
Yes, they’ve intentionally flooded many acres of farm land to alleviate some flooding, and they’re going to blow some more levees to put the water back in the Mississippi.
But, you’re probably wondering where all of that moisture came from……… well, if we’re to believe climate theory de jour, a super hotted arctic caused much snow and cold in the N.H……… because of the heat…. then, after a prolonged heat induced winter, all of the snow melted …….because of the heat,…….. then it rained, because of the heat ……..(experienced somewhere). Some used to call it spring, but we now know it is only seasonal because of the heat. But the land and river was too saturated to absorb the rain…..caused by the heat……. hence flooding and questionable divergence tactics. All caused by global warming.
The persistent cold winter, the driving snow, the thaw, the rain (hot spawned tornadoes, too!!!) All because of the heat generated by one bad-ass magical molecule….. CO2.
If would be something fun for Steve to write about!
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/03/army-corps-breaks-southeast-missouri-levee/
It’s heart-breaking. But, its been done before and will be done again. I don’t agree with it, but its an accepted practice. Logically, the answer would be not to allow a town to develop in the flood zone without understanding that we shouldn’t flood people out of their homes to save other people’s. It makes a value judgment that isn’t proper to make.
There should not have been levees there in the first place. It is all river bottom land. The ACOE was just trying to protect people’s property when the levees were built. Then more levees were added and increased the potential for flooding.
Ok, I stand corrected… a little over a foot of rain. Of course, when I was a kid in the E-ville area, the Ohio crested many a time… still interesting though. When I was there for Easter we got over 5inches of rain in two days… very cool thunderstorms too. Better than the lousy endless drizzles we get the D.