By Douglas V. Gibbs
In 2011 we found ourselves right here in America up against 10 disasters that caused more than a billion dollars worth of damage. . . each. Massive tornadoes hit Missouri and Alabama, and Hurricane Irene drenched New England after it made landfall in New York City. Snowstorms hammered various parts of the nation, and wildfires scorched the earth in more places than just Southern California. Flooding left the Midwest underwater, and heatwaves had us sweating it out. Records were shattered, and these climate disasters resulted in billions of dollars worth of damages, the loss of life, and the loss of property.
1: In January of 2011 a snowstorm slammed Washington DC, leaving motorists stranded, and residents home-bound.
2: In February of 2011 a larger winter storm froze Chicago, leaving the city literally at a standstill. Two feet of snow, and winds more than 60 miles per hour piled snow drifts as high as 10 feet. Cars were left abandoned, and all of the surrounding States found themselves under the assault of that particular storm.
3 and 4: The Spring Thaw brought tornadoes that broke records, and destroyed communities. In April and May a flurry of 343 tornadoes tore through the central and southern states, leaving behind 321 deaths, 240 or which were in Alabama. On April 27 northern Alabama was hit by a killer tornado that left 78 dead. May 22 the Joplin, Missouri tornado was a full mile wide and traveled on the ground for twenty-two miles, killing 158.
5: Scorching summer temperatures remained for weeks, giving Texas a total of 71 days with temperatures 100 degrees or higher. The East could not escape the heat, either. On July 22, Newark, New Jersey faced a day with 108 degrees.
6: Drought comes with the heat, and in Texas the lack of rainfall was the worst on record. Many of the areas in Texas saw less than 25% of their normal annual precipitation.
7: While some States were dry, others received record rainfalls, and record flooding. The Ohio Valley saw rainfall totals increase by 300%. Between the rains, the melting snowpack, and swollen rivers in Minot, North Dakota 11,000 people were forced to evacuate. New Yorkers were evacuating under the threat of hurricane in June, and once the hurricane hit, the flooding was massive.
8: While some states saw record rainfalls, the States that experienced record drought also experienced record wildfire seasons. Fires in California, Arizona and Texas were enormous, and incredibly destructive. The Bastrop Fire in Texas destroyed over 1,500 homes in both Texas and Arizona. The Wallow Fire burned more than 500,00 acres.
9: Hurricanes brought with them flooding, and massive damage. August's Hurrican Irene had the entire East Coast nervous. New York evacuated under the first mandatory evacuation order the city has ever seen. The New York City transit system was shut down too. . . another first. Irene turned out not to be as fierce as expected, but it still dumped considerable rainfall, caused massive flooding, and more than 7 million structures lost power during the storm. The storm left behind 45 deaths and over $7.3 billion in damages.
10: Last month a massive winter storm slammed into the Plains states, paralyzing the region. White out conditions in Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Colorado caused road closures. By the way, that massive winter storm hit two days before the official start of Winter.
Oh, and for those of you that want to blame the myth of man-made global warming, remember that Mars is having the exact temperature fluctuations we are having on Earth, and the last time I checked there are no man-made activities including SUVs, pollution and chemicals on Mars.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
A snowstorm montage from January 26-27, 2011 - Washington Post
Snowstorm leaves D.C. area feeling powerless - Washington Times
Massive winter storm: Chicago socked by blizzard; millions could be affected - CNN
Storms, Tornadoes Leave Dozens Dead in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee - ABC News
Joplin, Missouri, tornado: Warnings pale in season of violent twisters - Christian Science Monitor
Texas Tops 10 States Ravaged by Extreme Weather in 2011 - Climate Central
DFW Weather: 71 Days and We Have a New Record for Triple-Digit Temperatures - About.com Dallas
Heat wave hits New Jersey, breaking record in Newark with 99-degree scorcher - NJ.com
Newark breaks all-time temperature record, reaches 108 degrees as heat wave continues - NJ.com
Texas Drought 2011: State Endures Driest 7-Month Span On Record - Huffington Post
State of the Climate
National Overview August 2011 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Ohio Valley Floods in Photos - The Weather Channel
Mississippi River flooding tops Louisiana weather stories for 2011 - NOLA.com
Floods force evacuations in Ohio Valley, Missouri - Reuters
Souris river flooding forces thousands of Minot, North Dakota residents to evacuate - Washington Post
Top stories of 2011: Extreme drought conditions spark string of dangerous wildfires - The Lufkin News
Texas wildfires collide with urban sprawl - Christian Science Monitor
Wallow Fire Progression - AZ Central
Irene: Flooding Cuts Off Towns in Vermont, New York - ABC News
Hurricane Irene leads to historic flooding after month's record rainfall - NJ.com
Hurricane Irene Will Make 2011 a Record Disaster Year - Live Science
2011 Saw Extreme Number of Disasters in U.S. - Newsroom America
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