“MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recorded 39 tornadoes, 26 funnel clouds, 11 reports of damage from thunderstorm winds and 69 reports of hail in Thursday\u2019s storms. “<\/p>\n
39 tornadoes in one day.<\/p>\n
During our heat wave this summer, which seemed to last about two months, we had constant violent storms, downpours and tornado warnings in Minnesota.\u00a0 We are all relieved that our heat wave and humidity that produced all these storms is finally easing off.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s hard not to ascribe our bizarre weather to climate change, especially now that we know for sure that there’s no doubt climate change is happening now and is increasing with time.\u00a0 This month we had outbreaks of multiple tornadoes, like these:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
This multiple-tornado cell was seen near Appleton, Minnesota on August 12, 2010.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The photos below were taken on August 12th in Minnesota too.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Want to see more? There are dozens of tornado videos from this year on Youtube.<\/p>\n
I’m now on vacation for at least a week.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, here\u00a0 is something for everyone to consider.\u00a0 In 2007, Andrew Revkin wrote a series of articles in the NYT called “The Climate Divide“.\u00a0 It was about how people all over the world are preparing to “adapt” to climate change.\u00a0 Adaptation actually just means survival. And we know that the\u00a0 wealthy are already working to insulate themselves from climate risk.\u00a0 Are the rest of us?\u00a0 Not so much, because someone, somewhere, is funding the outrageous myth that climate change isn’t real — even as they themselves prepare for it.<\/p>\n
Many people do know it’s happening and are doing what they can.\u00a0 Here is just one way they are experimenting with survival — the idea of living and working on the water.<\/p>\n
For private firms, it means experimenting with new housing, as Dura Vermeer is doing here in Maasbommel [the Netherlands]. The company has also built a floating greenhouse near the Hague and, along with other firms, has received government approval to try other kinds of housing in 15 areas in the country at risk for flooding. Other proposals \u2014 for entire floating cities, for instance \u2014 are still preliminary, but are being talked about seriously as a possible way forward.<\/p>\n
It’s worth thinking about how and where to live in the near future, but I don’t know of any type of building that is really tornado-proof.\u00a0\u00a0 I hope someone comes up with a structure that can withstand 300+ mph winds soon.<\/p>\n
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“MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recorded 39 tornadoes, 26 funnel clouds, 11 reports of damage from thunderstorm winds and 69 reports of hail in Thursday\u2019s storms. “ 39 tornadoes in one day. During our heat wave this … Continue reading