The carnage being dealt out in this deadly spring of 2011 is headed for the record books for death and destruction, possibly one of the worst on records.
The Numbers Say
Numbers from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show there has been nearly 1,200 deadly twisters that have danced there way across the United States causing unprecedented damage and killing close to 500 men, women, and children. There have been 4 that have had winds in excess of 200 miles per hour rated EF-5 the highest tornado strength allocated.
Scientists have pointed to the fact there have been two climate factors that have been working against us since winter ended. A simple reason for all the deaths is that there are more people now living in the danger zones that twisters travel. Population shifts have moved south where a lot of this years deadly storms have traveled.
La Nina's Disappearance
Trade winds that have become cyclical in nature called La Nina cool the ancient waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Late in 2010 and early in 2011 when the US was under the influence of a very powerful La Nina it suddenly made an unexpected exit three months ago leaving weather scientists scratching their heads why this happened.
A claim made by a climatologist, one Bill Patzert, working in California for NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab states that if La Nina had remained strong and not disappeared he believes that there would not have been so many deadly twisters spawned.
What Is The Correlation?
How is it trade winds in the warm Pacific have a deadly effect in the central and southern US? We simply have to look at the jet stream, an upper level fence where dry, cool air comes in at the higher levels to meet moist, warm gulf stream air at the lower levels. These just happen to be two of the ingredients needed for severe deadly storms that spin out of control causing the death and destruction we have seen of late.
If La Nina had stayed around it would have pushed the jet stream to higher latitudes, up around the Canadian border, thus having a stabilizing effect on the US and the region. What we have now is a rogue jet stream that is undulating across the US slithering like a snake. Very uncommon for this time of year. Cool, dry Canadian air mixing with moist, warm southern gulf stream air is a deadly mix that has wreaked havoc so far this spring and caused unprecedented damage and loss of life. So far this year those two types of air have been to the extreme on both ends.
The Two Extremes
Climatologists stated because of the record snowfalls to the north the snow packs have made the Canadian air and the air in the Rockies especially cold. The especially strong La Nina has fueled the hot conditions we have seen in the southwest until recently.
Adding to the extremes is the increase in the Gulf of Mexico temperatures on the surface making it warmer than the overall average. Climatologists remind us that moist, warm air from the gulf is like oxygen to a fire, it is the perfect fuel to cause extremely severe thunderstorms that spawn the death and destruction we have seen.
Horrifying Results
When these two very extreme temperatures meet in the atmosphere, combined with windy conditions we have almost every spring, the warm air rises to meet the cold air causing turbulence to occur, and usually resulting in very powerful thunderstorms running on a front long and wide spawning little circles of death that sometimes reach a mile wide with winds reaching over 200 miles per hour.
These spinning tops, with winds in excess of 200 mph, destroy almost everything they come into contact with on the ground leaving the paths of destruction we have seen in Joplin, Mo. and Piedmont OK. recently. There have been 4 of these dancing devils that have been classified EF-5 this spring resulting with over 500 deaths and property damage into the billions. They are still finding bodies in Joplin as I write. In stark contrast to this number there were only three EF-5 designated tornadoes in the last 12 years according to the weather channel.
Conclusion
Everyone has agreed in the science of weather community that this spring has been one of the most deadly and violent on record. Not meaning to generalize, but it seems when we have long cold hard winters to the extreme with lots of snow pack we also have conditions in the spring that lend itself to the extreme causing much damage and loss of life. This is a reality that has gone on for a long time in North America and effects no other continent like it does here. With populations growing in the tornado alleys of the south and Midwest there will be even more death and destruction coming in the near future with more long hard winters being predicted. There is one thing for sure that is going on. Climate change is here and nothing man can do will change it.
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