Hurricane Katrina (Debate)

Sun 11 Sep 2005, 21:37

Both, probably. Though one has to add up the numbers - any stochastic system can throw up biggies like this, of course. But there seem to be some things that indicate GW (G W Bush, heh heh heh) may have influenced the character of the storm to make it different to "usual". Particularly the manner in which the former dampener on storm intensity, particularly water uplift from the sea, which energises and also determines rainfall, didn't operate (and has been steadily lessening over recent years). The lower level of the water of the Gulf is usually quite a lot cooler, and in the shallow waters this gets churned up by the storm to the surface, cooling it and reducing evaporation which powers the energy cycle.

Problem is the lower levels are steadily warming and this dampener isn't working so good no more ... y'all watch this space, hear now?

Though no surprise about NO being drowned, one of the most warned about events in natural catastrophe planning history. Seems no one wanted to listen.

Sun 11 Sep 2005, 21:26

So, Was hurricane Katrina a terrible natural disaster or partly man-made, the beginning of climatic change?