If I may be so bold to interject something, here...
I have been observing weather patterns for the last few years. I began to do this because it just seemed to me that things were changing--mainly because
the climate where I live, and haved lived 37 years, began to behave in some new and unprecedented ways.
I do put trust into my Creator, whom I refer to as God, however I do not believe in the rapture, nor do I believe the world is going to 'end' anytime soon. I also have respect enough for mother nature to understand that what she wants to do, she does. She's mother nature, after all. She takes care of herself so well that we need not think we matter as much as apocalyptic misinterpretations might lead us to believe. I don't think that not seeing eye to eye is any reason to discredit someone just because they believe things we can not see as logical, or even if they don't see what we might see just because they don't think about things in the same fashion as our own perceptions.
Here are a few things, just to demonstrate that there is a change in the climate, manifested in the recent years. Not because I seek to prove either side of this debate but to hopefully share some information that I have found to be supported outside of any personal agenda. I have no agenda, since I gave up that habit several years ago.
Llyods of London says, in their
Interim Results for six months ending June 30, 2005:
Quote:
"These solid results reflect the market's ability to respond effectively to more competitive conditions, with a clear focus on underwriting profit," said Lloyd's Chairman Lord Peter Levene. "Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were vivid illustrations of the increasing severity of natural catastrophes and the complex world of risk in which Lloyd's underwriters operate with distinction. Our policyholders in the affected U.S. states can rest assured that Lloyd's will once against meet all of its obligations, and play a full part in the recovery of that region."
From
NOAA:
A page with a listing of Worldwide Weather and Climate Events in the US for the years 1991 through 2005. Also links to more similarly organized data.
From the PBS site for
NOVA:
Quote:
Three weeks ago, on this Web site, Robert Krulwich and I discussed new research documenting the 50 percent increase in the power of tropical hurricanes since the 1970s. The author of the paper, Dr. Kerry Emanuel of MIT, blamed a significant part of this increase on global warming.
and
Quote:Emanuel's study revealed the frightening increase in hurricane strength. Using statistical data collected from storms from as far back as the 1850s, Emanuel concluded that roughly half of the 50 percent increase he observed in hurricane strength was due to storms lasting longer, and half because their peak wind speeds have been increasing. In other words, hurricanes are simply getting stronger in every possible way.
2005 Hurrican Season from NCDC
That's just about hurricanes and such, but I also have done a lot of research into earthquakes (which seem to increasing in magnitude and occuring in more diverse areas which often don't have quakes) and many different other facets of our dear mother Earth's personality. One which is quite significant is the continued retreat of glaciation and the shrinking depth of the ice caps at both poles. Most of the info I get is from the government agencies that collect such data, which is about as good as it gets, as far as this type of thing. Most of it, though, is hard to find on some neat and tidy web page, summing it all up. I have accumulated my data over 2 or 3 years on a continual basis, from the same sources.
There are changes occurring--it is uncertain why, et al.--but they are definitely occurring in an escalating fashion.
