August 8, 2007
1930z
UNISYS Enhanced Infrared Satellite
Click on the title above and focus on the anti-cyclonic vortex in the center of North American. Do you see it?
The reverse vortex (anti-cyclonic flow) in the center of the USA is carrying hot air north and is meeting the cold air of the polar (Arctic Ocean vortex) vortex and producing severe storms.
The latitude (click here) of Chicago is 41 degrees, 50 minutes
The latitude of New York City is 40 degrees, 47 minutes
These two cities are very close in latitude and receive the same weather facilitated by the Polar vortex.
The latitude of Boston is slightly more north, but, still is affected by weather systems delivered to these major cities.
While Chicago and New York City are experiencing these severe storms nearly at the same time, there is a difference between those cities. Chicago is on the Great Lakes which are currently experiencing drops in their level due to evaporation. New York City and Boston have another problem in that they share the Eastern seaboard of the USA and the reality of sea level rise.
Storms accomplish several aspects of biotic live on Earth. They bring water to Earth, but, in that also comes heat exchange. These storms, severe and sudden, bring with them heat exchange carrying heat from the tropics to the cooling air of the Arctic/Polar Circle and onto stoms with large amounts of rain back to Earth. Also what is occurring is the destruction of the ice at the Polar Circle that facilitates these 'heat exchange' storms. As the rain falls what is also occurring is sea level rise.
When land is exposed to high levels of 'saturation' there also comes the dangers of 'permanent' sea level rise as the saturation of the land raises the water table. This problem will not be visited on the West Coast. Sea level rise on the West Coast of the USA will be much slower and more measurable than on the Eastern Seaboard which is exposed to more complex contributions of sea level rise. On the Eastern Seaboard, sea level rise at the latitudes of New York City and Boston involve land satuaration, rising water tables, high intentsity delugees of water and frequent repeated storms. These storms also bring erosion that may be permanent if 'met' with sea level rise which does not permit reclaimation of land.
If one will entertain one more observation. The deluges of water is very much akin to those experienced by tropical rainforests. Currently the Amazon is experiencing drought due to the very high temperatures that literally 'burn off' the humidity. The storms of the northern latitudes are very much the same type of storms the Amazon normally receives that 'feeds' the rainforest. The northern latitudes could easily 'make the most' of this reality and find effective 'water management' strategies that capture these rains for storage while also realizing the 'forested areas' of these latitudes may very well change. Deciduous trees do not do well in saturated soil, but, other varieties do. All this has to be considered if there is to be a strategy to reverse Human Induced Global Warming. Also, a more viable reality for the northern latitudes regarding it's forests is to provide drainage rather than allow the forest floor to maintain it's high saturation and 'root rot.'
There is a lot of work to do and NO TIME to waste. One reality most conservationists oppose in the face of the destruction they can cause to seaboards are sea walls. In the case of 'cities,' sea walls may very well be the answer, no different than the Netherlands, until these deadly trends are reversed.
Good luck.
