Minnesota: Global Warming Winner
According to scientists, which of the following are associated with global warming?
A. Drought
B. Floods
C. Tornadoes
D. All of the above.
Answer: D.
According to Weather Underground found Jeff Masters, “the 2011 Mississippi and Missouri River floods were higher than any other year, the 2011 Texas drought drier than any other year, and the 2011 tornado season was deadlier than any other.”
You might think that a growing population is associated with more tornado deaths, which is true, but it turns out that better weather forecasting and warning systems more than offset that (ditto for better home construction).
So, more volatile weather — and its likely underlying cause, global warming — remain as the predominant explanation.
P.S.: as a fan of desert heat, I could hardly be less disappointed by the prospect of milder Minnesota winters.
About the only downside is that my embarrassingly brown, drought-starved lawn is conspicuously uncovered by snow at the moment.
