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Extreme Weather
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Florida Major Hurricane Strikes: No Significant Increase in Intensity from Sea Surface Warming
Twenty-two major hurricanes have struck the east coast of Florida (including the Keys) since 1871. It is shown that the observed increase in intensity of these storms at landfall due to SST warming over the years has been a statistically insignificant 0.8 km/h per decade (0.5 mph per decade). Thus, there has been no observed increase in landfalling east coast Florida major hurricane strength with warming.
Disrupting the Theory on Polar Vortex and Global Warming
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Some scientists have promoted the idea the global warming causes more polar vortex disruptions thereby leading to more frequent extreme cold outbreaks in the mid-latitudes. Bob Vislocky tests this theory using long temperature records of the northern USA from NOAA. Vislocky says If there has been an increase in extreme cold outbreaks, “then the temperature difference in winter between the warmest day and the coldest day should increase over time.” The average trend over 1875 to 2019 of the temperature difference between the warmest and coldest winter days of the records he selected is a decrease of 0.22 °C/decade. This means that the coldest winter days are increasing at 0.22 °C/decade faster than warmest days, thereby disproving the theory that warming is causing more extreme cold outbreaks.
Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea and their Relationship with Sunspots
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This study gives an analysis of the relationship between hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, and sunspots occurring from 1749 to 2010. The authors compiled a database of hurricanes by combining the results of several studies. The abstract says “the total number of hurricanes is declining. This decline is related to an increase in sunspot activity. Spectral analysis shows a relationship between hurricane oscillation periods and sunspot activity.”
Trends in Extreme Weather Events since 1900 – An Enduring Conundrum for Wise Policy Advice
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It is widely promulgated and believed that human-caused global warming comes with increases in both the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. A survey of official weather sites and the scientific literature provides strong evidence that the first half of the 20th century had more extreme weather than the second half, when anthropogenic global warming is claimed to have been mainly responsible for observed climate change. The disconnect between real-world historical data on the 100 years’ time scale and the current predictions provides a real conundrum when any engineer tries to make a professional assessment of the real future value of any infrastructure project which aims to mitigate or adapt to climate change.
Heat-related Death Projections Don’t Square with Observations
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A paper by David Hondula et al of the Arizona State University reviewed the scientific literature from 2012 to 2015 about heat-related deaths. They find that observational studies based on historical climate and health records show a decrease in negative impacts during the recent warming. But projections of future heat related deaths show “substantial increases.” The descrepancy between observations and projections show a serious problem with the projections. A warmer climate causes people to adapt to heat waves leading to fewer heat-related deaths. Article by By Chip Knappenberger and Patrick Michaels.