Video Credit: Daily Caller/C-SPAN – click for video
By WUWT Regular Just The Facts
First, I’m sure I speak for everyone at WUWT when I say that our hearts go out to all the families in Oklahoma affected by the weather tragedy there today.
In the video above US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse states that:
“When cyclones tear up Oklahoma and hurricanes swamp Alabama and wildfires scorch Texas, you come to us, the rest of the country, for billions of dollars to recover. And the damage that your polluters and deniers are doing doesn’t just hit Oklahoma and Alabama and Texas.”
Read more: Daily Caller
If Senator Sheldon Whitehouse did more reading and less ranting, he might know that Continental US Temperature Lower Troposphere (TLT) – 1979 to Present;
is currently below average.
US Strong to Violent Tornadoes (EF3-EF5) – 1950 to 2012;
are below average. US Inflation Adjusted Annual Tornado Trend and Percentile Ranks;
are currently below average. US Tornadoes Daily Count and Running Annual Total;
are currently well below average.
US Extremes in Landfalling Tropical Systems – 1910 to Present – Annual;
are currently below average.
This US Acres Per Wildfire and the Number of Wildfires Per Year graph;
shows that the number of wildfires have decreased, while the acres per fire have increased.
This is an important distinction as the associated article elaborates:
This graph shows the inverse relationship between numbers and sizes of US wildfires over time. Note the greater number and smaller sizes of fires between the creation of Wilderness in 1964 and the beginning of the modern wildfire era in 1987 and 1988 (with Silver Complex and Yellowstone fires of those years), as compared with the smaller number and greater size of recent fires. One factor may be the shift in USFS policy from rapid suppression to “let it burn,” which has allowed for numerous smaller fires – previously extinguished individually — to coalesce into larger fires and singular complexes.Evergreen
For reference;
“Forest managers agree that the current fire risk is primarily a combination of two factors — higher-than-average temperatures and a profusion of fuel, the product of nearly a century of fire suppression policies.”
“Recognizing widespread overgrowth in American forests, in the late 1970s the Forest Service began reintroducing policies of prescribed burning and allowed many smaller, natural fires to burn out on their own, provided they didn’t threaten lives or property. The decision this summer to attack all fires, while not a direct reversal of this policy, does represent a departure from that practice of natural restoration, said Jennifer Jones, a public affairs specialist with the Forest Service. Scientific America
The shift in thinking was formalized in a 1995 statement of federal fire policy, and strengthened in a 2001 revision. The policy recognizes that fire is “an essential ecological process,” and that decades of trying to keep fires from burning have led, ironically, to “larger and more severe” conflagrations because of the buildup of underbrush and other fuel. USA Today
As such, US Forest Fire data is biased by “nearly a century of fire suppression policies” and “the shift in USFS policy from rapid suppression to ‘let it burn,'”, which begin “in the late 1970s”, “was formalized in a 1995 statement of federal fire policy, and strengthened in a 2001 revision.” Furthermore, given that continental US Temperatures are currently below average, it is absurd to blame to recent forest fire activity on Global Warming.
US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse used the tragic weather events in Oklahoma to spout erroneous alarmist Global Warming rhetoric. Mr Sheldon, less ranting, more reading…
Hat Tip to WUWT Reader “007”
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Anthony: Unfortunately, there is shameful precedence for this sort of opportunistic political rhetoric, WUWT readers may recall when the Center for American progress blamed southern conservatives voting record for tornadoes:
This might be a good time to remind readers of this essay:
The folly of linking tornado outbreaks to “climate change”
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Just left this comment over there:
Is ignorance bliss? It is where knowledge of climate is concerned. We will initiate this discussion with the assumption (capitulation?) that CO2 is the heathen devil gas it is made out to be. Few can actually provide the answer as to when we live. We live at the 11,716 year old Holocene Epoch. So what? Well, 7 of the last 8 interglacials, of which the Holocene is the most recent, have each lasted about half a precession cycle. The precession cycle ranges from 19,000 to 23,000 years, and we are at the 23,000 year part of that cycle now, making 11,500 exactly half, 11,716 about half.
To paraphrase the Obama “If you like your present climate, you can keep it”. Meaning without consideration of CO2, your, our, my chances of keeping the present climate are precisely 1 in 8. The other 7 chances are that we are due to fall climatewise into the next roughly 90,000 year long glacial (aka ice age).
Remembering our assumption, and assuming it was all up to you, what would you do? Strip said climate security blanket from said late Holocene atmosphere (the environmentalist’s correct choice, so as to not interfere with inception of the next ice age)? Or leave it up there, for say, the next 4,000 years or so because ignorance just isn’t your thing?
Discussing the Late Eemian Aridity Pulse (LEAP) at the end-Eemian:
“Investigating the processes that led to the end of the last interglacial period is relevant for understanding how our ongoing interglacial will end, which has been a matter of much debate…..
“The onset of the LEAP occurred within less than two decades, demonstrating the existence of a sharp threshold, which must be near 416 Wm2, which is the 65oN July insolation for 118 kyr BP (ref. 9). This value is only slightly below today’s value of 428 Wm2. Insolation will remain at this level slightly above the inception for the next 4,000 years before it then increases again.”
Sirocko, et al, 2005, A late Eemian aridity pulse in central Europe during the last glacial inception, nature, vol. 436, 11 August 2005, doi:10.1038/nature03905, pp 833-836
It is liberal M.O. to tap dance on the graves of the dead. This is what they do; it’s all they have.
http://climategrog.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=256
Tornadoes are a sign of climate cooling not warming.
““When cyclones tear up Oklahoma …”
He clearly does not even know that it was a tornado that hit Oklahoma not a cyclone.
After sheltering in safe, quakeless, laharless, stormless, snowless, weatherless, snakeless, Western Colorado the last 30 odd years, after living for some time in dangerous tornado country, I don’t know how people do it. Risk evaluation in the average person’s life is often bad, believing that car travel is basically safe, airplanes are scarey, children don’t really need immunizations for whooping cough or flu but they are likely to get stranger abducted, The idea that you can be asleep in your bed and a horrendous black howling monster might drop out of the sky at any time and smash your house, or level your child’s school seems over the top to me now. I suppose the odds are low always but I’m not interested in buying farmland in Kansas.
So, Republicans caused Katrina, Sandy, and a monster Oklahoma tornado.
Got it.
And, being dropped on your head causes people to be Democrats.
Got it.
Cynically exploiting a national tragedy while the bodies are still warm. Despicable.
the fact that he does not even know it was a tornado is laughable and shows how competent he is to lecture everyone on questions of climate .
LAUGH — OUT — LOUD. “Waaake up!” His sign is yelling this because his audience fell asleep from boredom a long time ago. WE are “stuck”!???? (head shake) Just who is stuck on mindlessly repeating meaningless speculation, eh Sheldon?
His ability to keep a straight face is amazing — must have been a used car salesman before this gig.
I kept waiting for the “aaand, now, live from New York, iiiit’s Saturday Night Live!”
[originally posted to reply to 007 on Nenana Ice Breakup thread, 5/20/13]
***********************
“… you can keep [your present climate]…” [W. McClenney above quoting D’oh!bama]
That punk really wants his ignorant followers to believe that he is God. Oh, he knows he’s not, but he wallows in his own self-satisfaction at the fact that thousands of the Cult of Obama truly belieeeeve he is their Hope. Disgusting.
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Thanks, Just the Facts, for all the great factual documentation supplementing your post above.
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Yeah, wws, “never let a good crisis go to waste” — Rahm Emmanuel. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yeA_kHHLow]
You got it, Code Tech (at least these days, I guess there were some truly principled, thinking, Democrats a looong time ago).
Good one, Goodman!
“US Strong to Violent Tornadoes (EF3-EF5) – 1950 to 2012 are below average.”
I bet they aren’t this year. We’re past the peak in temps now. The downturn in the NH surface temps underlined by hard winters in Alaska and yesterdays 100 record Nenana Ice Classic marks a turn around. This is accompanied by a pickup in tornado count.
These things tend to bounce up and down each year and 2012 was low. I predict we are in for a bumpy ride this year with activity back to the level is was in the 50s.
We’re entering a 20 year cooling period.
Cyclone energy will drop off and tornadoes pick up.
That senator isn’t the only one misleading. Check out the “Fast Facts” on CNN:
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/tornadoes-fast-facts/index.html
Their “timeline” starts at 1925, skips to 1974, then 1995, then a long list in the current century. Making it seem as if tornado frequency, death tolls and damage have been escalating since 1925. I’m sure that wasn’t deliberate. /sarc off
CNN “March 18, 1925 – One of the worst tornado disasters in the United States; 689 people in the tri-state area of Missouri-Illinois-Indiana are killed.
April 3-10, 1974 – There are 148 tornadoes in 16 states.”
Yeah kinda neat the way they skip the most active part of the record !
The good thing about a rant is that it puts people off. They can shout all they like, fewer and fewer are listening.
Dumping more CO2 into the atmosphere seems to cause weather quiescense–and there nothing wrong with fewer tornadoes, cyclones, hurricanes, blizzards, and killing frosts.
Of course, there’s no need for control with that scenario.
I was just in Moore yesterday, got held up in Broken Bow earlier yesterday because a CEO was being cautious and not letting anybody leave the building. Then joking around with several folks in Sand Springs today. It’s really heartbreaking to wonder if people you just met are casualties right afterwards. Too much death the last few days, I’m exhausted. But I think I’ll ask if there’s any emergency supplies ready to be hauled in that I can take. Been there, done that.
They just never miss an opportunity to dance on the graves of small children to further their wretched and misguided agenda do they. Absolutely shameless. This idiot disgusts me and should disgust every American! I hope the good folks of Rhode Island will demonstrate their disgust next time they cast a ballot!
US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s IQ currently…
…below average. Even for a senator.
Greg Goodman says: May 20, 2013 at 8:43 pm
“US Strong to Violent Tornadoes (EF3-EF5) – 1950 to 2012 are below average.”
“I bet they aren’t this year.”
“I predict we are in for a bumpy ride this year with activity back to the level is was in the 50s.”
Not the most reliable source, but according to Wikipedia’s 2013 Tornado page;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornadoes_of_2013#Events
inclusive of today:
Strength Total
EF0 – 231
EF1 – 112
EF2 – 23
EF3 – 3
EF4 – 4
EF5 – 0
On this chart;
http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/cmb/images/tornado/clim/EF3-EF5.png
I count an average of 53 EF3 – EF5 tornadoes per year, between 1954 – 1959. Given that we are already trending below average this year, if we are to return to the level of 50s, a “bumpy ride” is an understatement.
The downturn in the NH surface temps underlined by hard winters in Alaska and yesterdays 100 record Nenana Ice Classic marks a turn around. This is accompanied by a pickup in tornado count.
I don’t disagree with your general logic, i.e. if the Northern Hemisphere cools we theoretically should see more and stronger tornadoes, however there’s a lot more going on than just temperature differentials, i.e.:
I think our understanding of Earth’s climate system is still too rudimentary to make accurate long range forecasts.
I’m pretty good with vitriol, but even I can’t muster enough for this lying, conniving douchebag.
I just hope that Joel Shore, Izen and Phil dot and the others who should know better hang their heads in shame when they read this abomination.
Dear Congressman Whitehouse:
I listened today to your speech about Republicans and their unwillingness to prevent tornadoes that kill children in Oklahoma.
Fact: Tornadoes, hurricanes and wildfires are not a recent phenomenon- they have always happened, even before the invention of the automobile – blaming storms on GHG emissions makes you ridiculous.
Fact: There have been fewer tornadoes than average so far in 2012-2013. Meteorologist calls this a tornado “drought.” How is this possible with more CO2 in the air?
Fact: The real consensus is that the Earth has not warmed for about 16 years, because it hasn’t. The climate alarmist cannot explain why their models have been wrong.
Why do you want to increase unemployment in order to prevent a climate crisis that is not happening? Not everyone wants to give up meat for tofu and carrots, commute to a minimum wage jobs on bicycles and heat and light their homes for only 10 hours a day due energy rationing and rolling energy blackouts. How can you condone the murder of millions of birds by wind turbines?
It is very hard to believe that you actually believe the stuff you say. I guess it all about politics and personal ambition.
I suggest you talk to Bjorn Lomborg. Like you, Mr. Lomborg does believe humans are warming the planet. At least he’s honest that this thing does not have to be a crisis and we don’t have to ruin our economy to mitigate the problem. But guys like you who don’t know the first thing about the topic scare me.
Sincerely,
Brian Murphy
I feel a strong connection to Rhode Island having served there in the US Navy In the early 70s.
But in the last 20 years the state has become one of the biggest dumps. My guess is that half the state is on welfare or food stamps. Just the kind of people that vote for idiots like this.
Cooking the weather went out centuries ago; but those who would accuse others of such, continue unabated.
Those who accuse must be held to pay the price. The Senator accuses the “polluters and deniers” of doing damage. That’s a clear accusation; defamatory at least. If one accepts what the Senator claims as true, then “polluters and deniers” are guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
The Senator is attempting to silence opposition by linking his opponents to the consequences of natural disasters. The objective is to limit freedom of speech. A similar thing is happening in Germany.
Citizens must vigorously defend themselves against such politicians. Through the media and directly with civil action against the perpetrator when possible and, in this case, the Senate directly by making a formal complaint against the Senator’s conduct. He lacks any evidence to substantiate his allegations.
When such allegations are made under “parliamentary privilege”, then the accused must be allowed the right to reply in the same forum.
Judging by the comments I read I think Whitehouse really stuck his foot in his mouth.
C-SPAN is like a visit to a sausage factory….
you don’t really want to know what goes on in there….
this blowhard needs to stick with solving real problems….
like GRADE SCHOOL BULLYING….
and pop-tarts that are chewed into the shape of a PISTOL….
SAVE US ! ! ! PLEASE ALL POWERFUL CONGRESS, SAVE US ! ! !
How low can a man stoop so low in the name of political gain? At the time of writing this, the lives of 91 people were taken by this tornado and this man – no – coward thinks it is good to take political advantage? What a despicable person and how low will these people go to save their fictitious beliefs.