hurricanes and global warming

There is near universal agreement in the scientific community that (a) global warming exists and (b) a significant component is caused by human activity. The exact mechanisms are still being worked out as are the timetables and consequences. The chart shown is used at nearly every general audience talk on global warming these days. Sadly we have an illiterate administration.

Direct relations with hurricanes are not well understood, although it seems to reason that more energy into a system that produces storms whose size and intensity is a function of water temperature will result in more and larger storms. Some work is emerging and much more is in the pipeline.

While it is impossible to tie the current events in the Southeastern US to global warming (some statistical arguments can be made to show that this is inconsistent with "normal"), one has to wonder when and how the association will be made in the public mind and how politicians will react.

Does it become an issue in this year's election if another category 3+ storm strikes the swing-state of Florida in the next six weeks?

Bush, with his anti-science and pro-(conventional) energy industry bias, is in the dark age on the issue. Kerry has said good things in the past, but has been silent in recent months.

We would have been much better off if Gore was in the White House. There wouldn't be a war in Iraq and it is likely that bin Lauden would have been pursued. Some steps towards dealing with the much larger problem of global warming would have been taken and the public would be more engaged.

Yes Virginia -- it does matter how the votes are counted ...