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Sandy: Don't Panic.


It was inevitable of course.

 

The winds and floodwaters of Sandy have barely abated and the usual suspects are out in force scare-mongering.

 

CNN: Is Sandy a taste of things to come? :>> http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/31/us/sandy-climate-change/index.html

 

NYT: Did Global Warming Contribute to Sandy's Devastation? :>> http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/did-global-warming-contribute-to-hurricane-sandys-devastation/

 

Since there have never been hurricanes before and they have never hit New York/Jersey before... No- wait. They have. Numerous hurricanes in fact that date back as far as inhabited history of the region.

 

Let's take a look at the history of hurricanes that have hit New York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_hurricanes):

 

Sometime between 1278 and 1438 New York was struck by one of the strongest hurricanes of the millennium. It literally rewrote the map and has been documented by archaeological, geological evidence and oral histories of the Indian Nations that populated the region at the time.

 

Hurricanes struck New York in 1635, 1667, 1693, 1785, 1788. Smaller tropical storms were not even reported as they are a matter of course.

 

From 1800-1899, a total of 25 hurricanes between hit New York city- at a rate of one storm every four years.

 

From 1900-1949, eleven hurricanes and strong tropical storms hit New York. This includes cat 2 and 3 storms.

 

From 1950-1974, fourteen hurricanes and strong tropical storms hit New York: one very two years.

 

From 1975-1999, twenty hurricanes, tropical depressions and remnants of tropical system hit New York. As tropical storms are more clearly defined, tracked and studied we're seeing that New York is hit by tropical systems almost every year.

 

From 2000-2012, twenty systems have struck or brushed New York- almost 2 a year. Many of these storms were the remnants of other hurricanes(6), 5 were tropical storms and 9 were actual hurricanes(including Sandy). Actual direct hits by full fledged hurricanes: Isabel, Irene and Sandy.

 

There is nothing outside statistical norms that makes an October hurricane even unusual. In fact, the NYC area is behind on storms based on historical data since 2000.

 

Hurricanes by month

 

June 4

July 7

Aug 23

Sept. 27

Oct. 13<

 

Looking at the history and available data, there is really nothing unusual about Sandy.

 

It is a hysterical, knee-jerk reaction to immediately jump up and start yelling global warming apocalypse over a run of the mill storm.

2 Comments


Recommended Comments

Andy78

Posted

We're all doomed!! The end is nigh!! There is a God and he is a wrathful God.

 

**runs out of breath saying Hail Marys**

 

Sorry, got wrapped up in CNN

Yettie One

Posted

****Peeps out from under the couch***

 

Is it over?

Hmmmm I guess hiding under the couch wasn't the best idea when there is lots of flooding going on!!!!

 

Over here the media's favourite saying at the moment is "The Worst since Records Began!"

:P

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