Maybe lightening doesn’t strike the same place twice very often, but now tornadoes have struck the same two places in Alabama twice in less than one year. To make matters worse, the 25 tornadoes that blasted the South and Midwest struck at an unusual time of year in the middle of the night.
‘Unusual’ Deadly Twisters in South Kill 2
By Enjoli Francis
Jan 23, 2012 12:59pm
Video:
World News 1/23: 25 Tornadoes Hit South Overnight
Instead of bombing Libya this past summer, I wish the money had been used to build or install tornado shelters in Alabama. It’s heartbreaking to hear the stories of people trying to survive in bathtubs. It’s not too late to start a program to help people install shelters now.
If the cause of these tornadoes is climate change from fuel sources, or rising atmospheric 85Kr levels from the nuclear industry, there is not much hope of things settling down soon.
During the period of atmospheric weapons testing [1945-1963] Ez at Eskdalemuir dropped to half its values before and since, owing to the increased conductivity of the lower atmosphere that resulted from transient radioactivity. In the more recent epoch it may be that the atmosphere’s conductivity and Ez is affected also by an upward trend in 85Kr, a beta emitter with 11-year half-life that is released in the processing of nuclear fuel. As recently as 2004 atmospheric radioactivity from 85Kr was increasing at about 2.5%/yr. [K. Smith et al., 2005. See also Harrison, R.G. and H.M. ApSimon, 1994].
The current era of both mega-quakes and monster storms started as 85Kr levels began affecting the earth’s electrical current.
Sad to say that the only thing our government is really fast, (but not good), at doing is starting wars. You can read here about the endless, Kafkaesque nightmare that installing storm shelters has become now that we have grant money for community shelters and careful oversight of even private shelter installation. It’s reminiscent of the Katrina ice debacle.
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/01/alabama_tornadoes_storm_shelte.html
That is a sad tale. It’s a miracle that more people weren’t hurt. They must have found somewhere to hide. Sounds like the shelter installer is doing a booming business in spite of the new regulations and fees.
I see here that the official word is to blame the bizarre weather on a persistent La Nina.
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/01/alabama_tornadoes_la_nina_may.html
Nothing to see here, move right along folks…and keep tuned to the NOAA warning station at all times….
The experts can say what they want, but I think the increases in atmospheric conductivity from Krypton-85 described in your article just might have a tad to do with all the turbulence. I suppose that theory will remain a well-kept secret, though, and things will continue to deteriorate.
I’m inclined to think global warming has a strong role, at least in the extension of the usual tornado seasons into January. The secondary season in the southeast US is Nov. and Dec. Warmer air is one of the main ingredients of tornadoes. That could also explain the geographical spread to places farther east in the US.
Could be, catwoods. Maybe there are two or more factors combining effects in a synergistic way. We just had the most wide-spread and devastating ice storm ever recorded in western WA and Oregon. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power as trees came crashing down from the weight and there was a big landslide that took out a major commuter route near Microsoft indefinitely.
Meanwhile fallout from Fukushima is increasing.
Meteorological Consequences
of Atmospheric Krypton-85
Caution on global warming politics – before being convinced that changes are primarily anthropogenic, (a viewpoint promoted by the nuclear industry), listen to this:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/schmitt-hh.html
That scientist makes a good case there, Nell. Whatever the source of climate change, I’d like to see the focus on particulates/black soot, (and thinking wishfully – rising 85Kr levels). That would benefit health regardless of the viewpoints one holds about climate change. I agree the divisive CO2 focus serves special interests more than science.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1938379,00.html
Black Carbon: An Overlooked Climate Factor
http://www.globalwarmingsolution.org/wood-smokeblack-carbon-soot-a-major-cause-of-global-warming.htm
Wood Smoke/black Carbon Soot: a Major Cause of Global Warming
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2011/11/dirty-clouds-change-rainfall/
http://www.c3headlines.com/2010/08/black-soot-the-major-global-warming-agent-that-kills-hundreds-of-thousands-annually-that-the-ipcc-po.html
Very interesting information here! I had not read about the 85Kr waste problem from the nuclear industry. I’ll have to read up more on this. The silence about background levels of radiation and atmospheric conductivity rising at 2.5% a year speaks volumes. I think there is a good case for this affecting weather and atmospheric phenomena.
Thanks for your comment, Allie. I agree that silence speaks volumes. By the late 1970′s to eartly 1980′s when it was obvious properly disposing of 85Kr was either impossible or too expensive research into its affects ground to halt. Now its just a handy isotope used for aging and tracking things.