It’s ok.
That headline is a quote.
I don’t hold that opinion myself.
Although arguably it’s perfectly valid, about one specific extreme weather event.
Have you noticed how many politicians and lobbyists are trotting this out? …and how many otherwise reasonable members of the human family seem to repeat their words, without a second thought, almost like zombies?
I wonder whether the same people would think that not one but SEVENTY TWO specific extreme weather events – listed below – all over the world – in just the last 6 months – might be evidence? Of something?
Here below is Eric Alexander’s Weather Watch File 2013 – hope we’re all feeling lucky.
(And for more information on the source of this data – please read this earlier post – https://davehampton.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/eric-alexanders-weather-watch-2013/)
Eric Alexander’s Weather Watch File 2013
Heavy rainfall, with extensive flooding, reported from Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauretania, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, St Vincent, Sudan, Switzerland, Taiwan, Uganda, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Vietnam, Yemen – Tally 72 (c.f. 47 in first six months of 2013)
Super-highlights June-August 2013
“Danube at all-time high” 6 June
63,000 missing in unprecedented floods, north India 19 June
First-ever flooding reported by Calgary resident, Canada 22 June
“Canada’s worst wildfire” hits Quebec province 15 July
Floods in Puerto Rico after unprecedented rainfall 2 Aug
Temperature in Shanghai hits new maximum 7 Aug
First ever red drought warning in China’s Hubei province 18 Aug
“Worst ever” floods reported in Manila 21 Aug
“Worst flooding in decades” in NE China – 28 Aug
Over 50 dead, thousands flee their homes
“48,000 people made homeless” by floods in Niger 29 Aug
“Thousands flee their homes” in flooded Mali capital 30 Aug
Highlights September-November 2013
36.5C “hottest start to spring” in Alice Springs, Australia 1 Sep
“Warmest winter on record” in New Zealand 3 Sep
Colorado’s “worst ever” floods destroy 1500 homes. 11,000 evacuees. 8 deaths 16 Sep
Mexico’s “worst weather crisis since 1958” strands 40,000 tourists 18 Sep
30,000 driven from their homes by floods in Brazil 24 Sep
Typhoon Fitow destroys 1,700 homes in eastern China 7 Oct
In NE India, Cyclone Phailin leaves a million homeless, crops ruined 13 Oct
State of Emergency as 60 bushfires rage in New South Wales, Australia 20 Oct
70,000 forced from their homes by flooding in eastern India 27 Oct
Severe storm in southern England disrupts transport, power supplies 28 Oct
“Supertyphoon“ Haiyan brings flooding & 200mph winds to Philippines 8 Nov
600,000 evacuate homes in Vietnam as Haiyan approaches 10 Nov
Floods from torrential thunderstorms in Uruguay 11 Nov
State of emergency in Somalian province after extensive flooding 15 Nov
65 “unseasonal” tornadoes devastate 5 US states from Kentucky to Michigan 18 Nov
Bad flooding in central Vietnam, dozens killed 18 Nov
“Apocalyptic” damage from cyclone in Sardinia 19 Nov
Several days of torrential rain cause deaths in Saudi Arabia & Iraq 21 Nov
In Australia, south-west experiences heaviest rainfall yet recorded 29 Nov
while north suffers from a week of flooding by Tropical Cyclone Alessia 29 Nov
100,000 suffering deprivation in Somalia after recent tropical cyclone 30 Nov
December daily reports
Buildings collapse after torrential rain in Havana 1 Dec
Flooding in Sumatra and Libya 2 Dec
Sydney reports warmest spring on record 2 Dec
Bad flooding in south and central Italy 3 Dec
Wind damage causes two deaths in Argentina 4 Dec
Extreme cold & snowfall in parts of USA and Canada 5 Dec
Severe storm damage over most of Scotland 5 Dec
and some coastal regions elsewhere in UK 5 Dec
56,000 evacuated after three days of torrential rain in Malaysia 6 Dec
Water level hits record high at Thames Barrier 6 Dec
Dangerous levels of air pollution in parts of China 8 Dec
Severe winter weather hits eastern Europe while continuing in USA 9 Dec
Torrential rain prompts evacuation of homes in Lajedinho, Eastern Brazil 11 Dec
Health warnings issued as heatwave develops in Perth, Australia 11 Dec
Flooding and landslides from torrential rain in Rio de Janeiro 12 Dec
“Worst snowstorm in decades” in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey 12 Dec
Flooding in Tenerife, Canary Islands 13 Dec
Jerusalem experiences heaviest snowfall since 1950s 14 Dec
First snow in Cairo for 112 years 14 Dec
40,000 evacuated from homes as floods hit Gaza 15 Dec
More heavy snowfall in eastern USA 15 Dec
Rare snowfall causes disruption in northern Vietnam 16 Dec
Flash floods in China’s Hainan province affect 150,000 17 Dec
Landslides triggered by torrential rain in eastern Brazil claim six lives 18 Dec
43C in Adelaide, hottest for over 80 years 19 Dec
Thousands of homes without power from wind damage in UK 19 Dec
A dozen homes destroyed by late wildfires in California 19 Dec
Bad fog in northern India and Pakistan 20 Dec
Tropical cyclone Amara brings torrential rain to Mauritius 21 Dec
Heatwave in Buenos Aires leads to cuts in electricity supply 21 Dec
Temperature in western Sydney exceeds 40C 22 Dec
Tornadoes, torrential rain & heavy snow in eastern USA 22 Dec
Ice from winter storm deprives a million homes of power in NE USA & Canada 23 Dec
300,000 without power, 1,000 homes flooded in southern England 25 Dec
Thousands of homes lose power in northern France 26 Dec
Flooding and landslides in St Vincent, Caribbean 26 Dec
Army deployed to help victims of “worst flooding in 90 years”, SE Brazil 27 Dec
State of emergency after 2 weeks flooding in areas of Tabasco state, Mexico 28 Dec
Many Toronto homes still without power six days after storm struck 29 Dec
Flooding in Belgium, Germany, north Madagascar 30 Dec
Thousands of homes lose power from tropical cyclone, NW Australia 31 Dec
18,000 evacuated after torrential rain in Sumatra, two rivers burst banks 31 Dec
Heavy snow causes disruption in Mexico 31 Dec
December Summary
Floods & storms 19
Heatwave, drought & wildfires 6
Snow & ice 6
Number of countries affected 27
