Cape Karen
Uh-oh - another big storm is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. Looks like Rita's heading towards Texas, with a little whip-lash effect heading towards western Louisiana.
It just passed through Key West as I write this, 
and the Conchs were lucky - they escaped a direct hit this time.
And, it's a good thing that Mayor Nagin finally came to his senses and stopped the premature effort to have everyone "come home" to New Orleans. How stupid was that!? That area is so obviously a long ways from being ready to welcome 200,000+ people; there's no clean drinking water, no sewage treatment, no medical services, etc.
What was he thinking? And, now he's busy giving out, "I Love N.O." T-shirts? O' my good god. ..give me a break!
Now, Rita has formed a definate eye and it is already up to a category two hurricane today. Why am I not surprised? It is obvious, from all I've read, that we are in for more ultra big storms along our coastlines over the next few years. What does surprise me is that anyone would be surprised; especially in light of what we know about our ongoing climate changes. Or do we?
That subject is being kept so hush-hush; it's as if we're not supposed to know. They have mentioned it on the news, in light of Katrina, and MSNBC even took a poll today - 70% believe global warming is having an effect, 30% do not. (It should be 100%, I believe.)
I hope in the months to come, instead of just forgetting all about it when the hurricane season is over, that those in the 30% will take time to educate themselves about the trickle-down effect of global warming, worldwide. It would be a good idea for all of us to start reading what the scientific community is saying about the climate changes that are taking place - many of which are occurring for the first time ever - (at least in our lifetime.)
I was relieved to hear that former President Clinton will be including the topic of climate change in his new worldwide endeavor. At least someone, somewhere, will be seriously talking about it, and will be brainstorming ideas about how we might attempt to counteract some of its effects.
We know that, for the most part, the current administration thinks it's all just a bunch of foolish over-reactionism. But, now that hurricane Rita is aiming for the state of Texas, maybe its most famous resident will start to listen to what the scientists have been trying to tell him for years.
And, if anyone thinks that the weather has been a bit weird lately. . .those strangely warm winters in Minnesota; and wintertime dumping tons of snow on usually mild-weathered Cape Cod; get ready ~ it's only just begun....
From the NCAR: "The only region that is experiencing more hurricanes and tropical cyclones overall is the North Atlantic, where they have become more numerous and longer-lasting, especially since 1995.
The North Atlantic has averaged eight to nine hurricanes per year in the last decade, compared to six to seven per year before the increase.
Category 4 and 5 hurricanes in the North Atlantic have increased at an even faster clip: from 16 in the period of 1975-89 to 25 in the period of 1990-2004, a rise of 56%."
In 2005 - we have seen 18 storms in the North Atlantic ocean, two have reached category 5 strength. We're already up to the letter R - and the season isn't over yet.
I think I will write to my friends, Cynthia and Ken in Nantucket, and tell them they might want to think about selling that nice boat they are now living on. . . before next August.
Posted by Karen at September 20, 2005 3:23 PM