A Change in Weather

We all know it.

.

We see it, we feel it, we sense it.

Now everyone does. (who reads)

We are changing the weather.

Here's the story from the Arizona Republic

Human activity fueling weird weather, U.S. says
Larry Wheeler
Gannett News Service
Jun. 20, 2008 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Thursday's report from the U.S. Climate Change Science Program is a synthesis of the latest research on extreme weather in the U.S. and comes after nearly six months that saw a record number of tornadoes, unusual winter warmth and record-setting precipitation in many regions.

It comes as the most extreme weather event so far this year, the Midwestern floods, continues to unfold.

The report said there is strong evidence the increasing frequency of extreme rain, heat, drought and tropical storms is caused by global climate change.

Most scientists believe that human activity is causing or accelerating global warming. "Changes in some weather and climate extremes are attributable to human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases," the study authors concluded.

Catastrophic rain

There is a 90 percent chance that catastrophic rain events, such as the one that led to the recent devastating floods in the Midwest, will increase in frequency as greenhouse gases build in the atmosphere, said Tom Karl, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Data Center.

Climate change likely played an important role in setting up conditions that led to the region's second 500-year flood event in 15 years, according to experts. (more)

The report also concluded that:

Human-caused warming likely has caused much of the increase in average and extreme temperatures observed in the U.S. over the past 50 years.

Heavy precipitation events have increased over the past 50 years. That's consistent with increases in atmospheric water vapor associated with human-caused increases in greenhouse gases.

Droughts are becoming more severe in some regions, though there are no clear national trends.•

The power and frequency of Atlantic hurricanes have increased substantially in recent decades, likely driven by human-caused increases in sea-surface temperatures."

So if you live close to a river, or a stream, and the river has never overflowed its banks before, that doesn't mean anything anymore.

And if you live close to a desert, and it's always rained before, that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to rain this year. And if your wells have never gone dry before...well, you get the point.

"There's a change in the weather.

There's a change in me."

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