CNN: Rita upgraded to category 3 nt

[arcos]

[Systematic Chaos]

1. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee! It's another more better trifecta for the shrub!

:sarcasm: :cry:

[mike_c]

2. tapping into the Gulf heat engine now....

Look out.

[opihimoimoi]

3. Oh Shit,not another one....AGAIN???????

I hope all those peeps listen and evac in time....

[Marie26]

5. Global warming?

IS the Gulf temperature higher on average now than it used to be? I don't remember the Gulf creating such super-charged hurricanes even a few years ago. If the temperature is higher, is this traceable to vglobal warming? Just wondering.

[Systematic Chaos]

Yes, it's global warming through and through.

The water temperatures in the Gulf, in large areas, have been hitting 90 degrees this summer, and in limited areas I have heard other DU'ers say they've been in the low 90's. That's like bath water. It also helps explain why all the coral are dying, and many species are just plain getting the f**k out of Dodge.

[Zen Democrat]

10. Yeah, it is. The Galveston surf feels like bath water.

[expatriate]

12. the temperature of the Gulf is, on average, 2 degrees warmer

this summer than last summer, according to what I've read. This can make a big difference in hurricane strength.

[skids]

13. See here.

Yes, gulf temperatures are high. They don't look as high as they were for Katrina, but that's just because Katrina pushed the heat down further underneath the surface. The heat is still there.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/story?id=1121948&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

The upshot is that global warming may actually reduce the total number of hurricanes if you had Pacific cyclones into the picture (we don't know yet) but that no matter how changes from global warming affect the pattern of hurricane formation, once they do form, global warming quite likely makes them stronger.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[tammywammy]

15. Maybe

But the ocean also undergoes it's own cycle of warm/cold.

In 1995 we entered the cycle where the water's warmer and there will be more hurricane/tropical storm activity. This is similar to what the US experienced during the 1950-1960s.

Part of the reason there's more destruction is that more people moved to the coastal areas. Air conditioners are more prevalent, making the hot humid areas more livable. And also since we were in a cycle of less hurricane activity even more people moved there.

I believe in global warming. Do I believe it's the sole cause of the extraordinary hurricane activity this year? No.

[tammywammy]

16. Dupe

[nonconformist]

19. Welcome to DU! nt

[Carla in Ca]

21. We had a storm last night with

a lot of thunder and lightning, for hours. Very unusual for SoCal.

[Rainscents]

22. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[nonconformist]

4. Fuck me.

I can't believe this is happening again so soon.

No such thing as global warming my ass.

[dhinojosa]

7. Not right now, there's a hurricane approaching.

hehe

[nonconformist]

8. lol! nt

[LittleClarkie]

6. Here's a link to my thread, where I have a moving satellite image

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4835117&mesg_id=4835117

Bookmark.

[abbeyco]

9. Uh, Brownie

You'll do a heckuva job, right? :sarcasm:

[Freedomfried]

11. The bull has entered the china shop...

Walked right through the front door, nobody knows he's there.......



yet

[Buddyblazon]

14. Well...

this is getting rather repetitive.

I hope that the rash of dire weather patterns is not a precursor of things to come. Unfortunately, I know it is.

[TaleWgnDg]

17. Are you sure this category 3 hurricane can't jump a land mass and

.
Are you sure this category 3 hurricane can't jump a land mass and hit, directly, a rather small Texas "ranch" in Crawford, only?

.


.

[eleonora]

18. It'll probably be a cat 4 before it hits land...

Uuugh......I've had enough of this shit. :banghead: :grouphug:

[phusion]

20. I dunno...

It had just turned a Cat. I this morning...At this pace, who knows???