Twitter: "USAF Hurricane Hunters flying winter storm recon mission over Gulf of Mexico 2nite obtaining vital atmospheric data"
Slate
Slate reported, "One measure of the storm’s severity, scaled to roughly correspond with similar indexes used to gauge tornadoes and hurricanes predicted today’s ice storm would reach Category 5, the highest level on the Sperry-Piltz Ice Accumulation index. That’s an increase of one category since yesterday’s forecast from Atlanta eastward into South Carolina."
Here we see the accompanying ice map, and the black blotch indicates that aforementioned category 5, very rare.
The economic toll of a three-day shutdown in 7 states can't be calculated. And now Pax is barreling up the eastern seaboard and hammering Washington DC, the Mid Atlantic states and tomorrow, New England.
Here is the view of Pax as it began its dirty deeds Tuesday, February 11. Image courtesy geo-stationary satellite from NASA
Headlines this morning like these tell the story:
- Northeast: More Than a Foot of Snow to Come
- Ice Storm Pummels Eastern US
- Winter Storm Pax: Raleigh-Durham Drivers Deal with Atlanta-like Gridlock Wednesday
- North Carolina Is a Mess. Here's What to Expect Tonight There, in NYC
As the people in the south begin to climb, scrape and plow out of the massive winter storm Pax, and the people in the middle and northern parts of the nation begin to deal with it, did you know that there was another, massive and impressive storm battering millions of people in another location?
As the storm began at around the same time Pax began, Darwin battered the UK-
120mph storm leaves 70,000 homes without power as RED ALERT warns TAKE ACTION NOW
"The Met Office has issued a rare RED WARNING for severe weather urging those living along the west coast of England to TAKE ACTION now. Hurricane-force gales of 110mph have ALREADY been recorded off the south coast of Ireland with onshore winds of more than 90mph rocking southern Britain. The storm has also triggered torrential downpours across the south and south-west with several inches likely over the next 24 hours. The Government has put out a raft of nation-wide alerts for brutal gales, rain and even snow in the north which is braced for blizzards. The public have been urged NOT to travel tonight unless it is absolutely necessary. Storm Darwin, currently battering the west coast of Ireland, will rip into Britain this afternoon before tearing though the country through today and into tomorrow."
Darwin marched across the islands of the UK and today the UK Independent reports,
UK storms: 100mph winds batters the UK as power cuts and travel chaos continues today
Communities across Britain were met with hurricane-force 100mph winds yesterday as stormy weather continued to batter parts of the UK, causing travel chaos and leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. Today, 80,000 homes remain without power and further travel disruption is expected. Gusts of 112mph were recorded in Aberdaron in North Wales, the strongest so far in the storm on the day dubbed "wild Wednesday". Britain remains on alert with the River Thames expected to rise to its highest level in more than 60 years and more than 400 flood warnings in place across England and Wales.
The headlines tell the story about the world weather
- UK weather: Nature shows no mercy to flooded Britain
- Winter Olympics Facing Dwindling Options In a Warming World
- 4 Extreme Weather Events Are Causing Havoc Around the World
PolicyMic reports,
"As unpleasant as the winter weather across eastern and central portions of the United States and Canada has been, it’s nothing compared to the meteorological crises currently being faced in other parts of the world-
In Brazil, for instance, a historic drought is threatening the Sao Paulo’s water supply. The Cantareira water system, which serves over 10 million people, is usually flush at this time of year, as January is generally the height of the region’s rainy season. However, this year has seen so little rain that the city’s water could dry up in as little as six weeks; companies that depend on water for manufacturing have already had to close shop until rain comes.
In California, the drought there is "the driest year in its history, leaving the snow pack in some of California’s Sierras is at as little as 4% of its normal levels. For the first time in half a century, areas that depend on the mountains for moisture will have to do without..."
In Australia, "record temperatures have caused large-scale conflagrations throughout the country, from Western Australia, to South Australia, to New South Wales. Meanwhile, a town of 3,000 is considering evacuating in Queensland after all but going without rainfall for two years."
But this, this, is amazing to me. Slovenia as a nation is frozen over.
Slovenia Is Still Frozen Solid: 'This Is Crazy, Really Crazy'
Three days of blizzards and a freak ice storm have inflicted "the worst devastation in living memory" in the small Alpine country of Slovenia as life in half of the country is frozen in place. Unexpected rain in the west rapidly turned to ice, entombing cars, trains, ATMS, and power lines in addition to half of Slovenia's forests (roughly 1.2 million acres). "Slovenia has witnessed a major natural disaster," Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek said while visiting the badly-hit town of Ljubno ob Savinji. "In the 35 years I've worked here, I've never seen anything like this," A railway worker told Reuters. "It will take another two months before trains can run again."
REUTERS/Srdjan Zivulovic
REUTERS/Srdjan Zivulovic
Life as they knew it has come to a halt in Slovenia and won't resume full force until the ice melts. That is simply amazing to me.In other earth news, if not climate news, did you know that there was an earthquake in Massachusetts this week?
A small earthquake was felt in southeastern Massachusetts Tuesday, but no damage or injuries were reported. The US Geological Service confirmed that a 2.4-magnitude quake centered near Dartmouth occurred at 5:46 p.m. Within minutes of the jolt, WCVB's Facebook fans started commenting about what they felt. "Jumped off the couch it was so loud in Acushnet," Lori Souza commented on Facebook. "Heard a rumble then a boom in Fairhaven," wrote Nancy Vigeant. "Felt it in the far north end of New Bedford. I thought the dogs were running around but they were laying still on the floor," said Greg Cormier.
Small quakes happen now and then in New England. There was one in Mexico, Maine last week, accompanied by a 2.8 in Canada/northern Vermont.
There was a strong quake in China this week, a 6.9. Some damage in the sparsely populated area but no casualties, thank goodness. There was a 6.0 in the Scotia Sea and a 6.5 in Vanuatu, both areas of which are very seismic. Since January 1, 2014 there have been 12 strong quakes in the world.
So people climbing out from winter storm Pax, if there is comfort to be had just know that there are many other places in the world experiencing the same if not worse weather. The headline above claims that climate change is causing all this havoc. News reports use words like crises, unusual, and rare. Most of the news stories I posted presented a statistic that stated the particular event hadn't happened in 30, or 40, or 50 years, if ever. The Slovenia situation has never happened before, despite being an Alpine nation sandwiched between Austria and Croatia.
The Church of England has vowed to fight the 'great demon' of climate change. Okey dokey, good luck with that.
Climate change used to be called global warming. Since they figured out that the world isn't warming but the extreme winter temperatures and storms have grown over the last 5-10 years, the scientists simply renamed it to climate change. That was clever. The climate is always changing, so they can't be tested on it. Read this general definition from Wikipedia,
"Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of weather around the average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events)."
I'm not a scientist but as a lay person I'd agree with this. The climate is changing.
The place where meteorologists and I diverge is the point at which they explore why the climate is changing. Ultimately, it is because we are in the end time (have been since the ascension of Jesus) and it will end when Jesus returns and restores the earth and reverses the curse. Scientists claim that humankind's impact on climate in using fossil fuels and emitting greenhouse gasses is causing the change. Christians say it is God. As this essay 'Christians and global warming' explains,
• Global temperature changes from past millennia, according to available data, were often severe and rapid, long before man supposedly had any impact at all. That is, the current climate change is not as unusual as some alarmists would like to believe.
• Recent recorded history mentions times of noticeable global warming and cooling, long before man had any ability to produce industrial emissions.
• Water vapor, not CO2, is the most influential greenhouse gas. It is difficult to determine what effect, if any, mankind has on worldwide water vapor levels.
However, the climate IS going to change, drastically, and it already has. There is a reason why the world is experiencing ever-heightening meteorological crises and natural disasters: the birth pangs. Jesus said that as His time of appearing came closer the world would experience birth pangs as it labored under the curse. The last two thousand years have plunged the world into 'the end of days' and as each day progresses we see leaps and bounds of prophetic indicators occurring.
Because the world is cursed, the only way it can go is down. (Genesis 3:17-18, Romans 8:22, Revelation 22:3). The timing of its downward spiral, of both the earth itself and the creatures upon it, began slowly but as birth pangs do, the downward spiral speeds up as the time grows near. The "Known effects of the Fall" according to this author at AIG wrote,
"Let’s begin by discussing what the Bible clearly states about the Curse. The Curse meant that humans and animals would now suffer pain, disease, and eventually death. Work would be difficult and sometimes painful as thorns and thistles now compete for the ground. Clearly, the earth, the plants, and all living creatures were changed as a result of the Curse. ... Although the second law [of thermodynamics, the law of decay] is not intrinsically bad, one difficulty remains. As a result of the second law of thermodynamics, the universe is “running down” as its usable energy decays to a useless form. Consequently, the universe cannot last forever. It must eventually run down completely. (Psalm 102:25–26)."
If the second law of thermodynamics states that energy in a closed system will become less useful over time (decays) and the Lord said that the UNcreation of the universe will happen faster and faster as the time nears, then I wonder if there is a 'circle the drain' effect that impacts the 2nd law of thermodynamics. It might seem so. I don't think the rate of decay stays constant, but increases as The Day of the LORD nears. I personally believe that the extreme weather we are seeing, happening faster and faster, is an example of the nearness of the actual birth pangs, when the Lord will judge the world during the Tribulation.
The church will be raptured to Jesus in heaven before that time, and we'll enjoy our rewards ceremony while that is all going on. You can be part of the blessed group, the church, AKA the Bride, if you appeal to Jesus for forgiveness of your sins and make Him the Lord of your life. Truth be told, are you really happy right now with satan as your lord and master? Because if you're not born again, that is who you serve. (Galatians 1:10, Matthew 6:24, Romans 6:16).
Climate change, global warming, it is all in God's hands. He created it, He sustains it, and He will judge it. Earth and its perfect climate will be restored. Jesus is currently in heaven, He "whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago." (Acts 3:21).
The time of restoring will happen, and I can't wait! Come soon, Lord Jesus!
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Further reading
What does the bible say about climate change?
Answers in Genesis: Global Warming
Answers In Genesis: Global Warming, Fact or Fiction?
