Joe Bastardi: Hurricanes happen, whether they are politically exploited by climate change activists or not
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A high-definition video camera outside the space station captured stark and sobering views of Hurricane Florence ESA/NASA–A. Gerst
The hurricane pre-season hysteria is ramping up again, as predictable as the melting snow. Hurricanes are big newsmakers. They are also natural disasters that are easy to “weaponize” for various political ends – most notably as evidence of climate change.
The 2005 hurricane season was a precursor for this. That year – a horrible and record-setting one that included the devastating hurricanes Katrina and Rita, among others – was used to launch endless and alarmist predictions that such a season would become the norm.
And yet another 11 years would pass before the U.S. coast would experience another major hurricane hit – the longest period on record.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}AOC NARRATES VIDEO FROM FUTURE IN WHICH HER 'GREEN NEW DEAL' SAVES US FROM ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE
Now this year, 2018’s deadly Hurricane Michael is being used to set off yet another round of hysteria – and that storm’s incredible amount of damage is being cited yet again as proof of climate change.
Is it, though? Is the devastation from such storms the result of CO2 in the atmosphere, as climate change proponents claim? Or could it be mankind’s affinity to densely populate our coastlines?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}If one simply looks at the past, one finds that history can solve the mystery for us.
(charts courtesy of the National Hurricane Center)
Imagine the hurricane hits of the 1940s occurring again, especially in Florida. The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 in particular sticks out, with its 600-mile-wide diameter of hurricane force winds that destroyed every boardwalk from Virginia Beach to Long Island.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Or take note of all the major hurricanes that impacted the U.S. East Coast during the 1950s – all Category 3’s, at least. I’ll remind the reader that 2012’s Sandy was barely a category 1 hurricane at landfall.
If such events occurred then, with much lower CO2 present in the atmosphere, why should CO2 be the major contributing factor with respect to hurricane intensity now?
The past is a great foundation to stand on to reach for the future. Because I know what happened in the past, not only is my forecasting improved, but it also helps me to cast a skeptical eye at some of the hype being raised over man-made climate change.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When it comes to hurricanes, I think the hysteria relies in large part on the fact that most people do not know 20th century hurricane history. The bottom line is that hurricanes happen. And raising alarm and focusing all of our attention on “climate change” as the reason does not serve those in the next devastating storm’s path.
My mission is to get people to become aware of why man-made climate change skeptics such as myself are skeptical, and to hope that the scientifically curious reader will look to make an informed decision for themselves.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When it comes to hurricanes and the hysteria that the climate change purveyors are trying to encourage, I believe that presenting the other side of the issue will allow you to at least be able to question the ideas that are being pushed on you.
Hurricane research and forecasting methods need to be a major initiative for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Using hurricanes as a political tool to advance an agenda, however, does nothing to expand or enhance this, or the safety net for our nation.