The bizarrely active hurricane season of 2012 draws to a close
The long and highly destructive hurricane season of 2012 has finally drawn to a close. The hurricane season of 2012 will long be remembered for spawning Hurricane Sandy--a freakish storm that was the largest, most powerful, and second most destructive Atlantic hurricane on record. But this year's hurricane season had a number of unique attributes, making it one of the most bizarre seasons I've witnessed. Despite featuring a remarkable nineteen named storms--tied for the third highest total since record keeping began in 1851--this year's hurricane season had just one major hurricane. That storm was Hurricane Michael, which stayed at Category 3 strength for a scant six hours. This is the least number of major hurricanes in a season since the El Niño year of 1997, which had only Category 3 Hurricane Erika. There were no Category 4 or 5 hurricanes in 2012, for just the 3rd time since the active hurricane period we are in began in 1995. The only two other years since 1995 without a Category 4 or stronger hurricane were the El Niño years of 2006 and 1997. Both of those seasons had around half the number of named storms of 2012--nine in 2006, and eight in 1997. The relative lack of strong storms in 2012 helped keep the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) down to 128, about 30% above average.
Figure 1. Hurricane Sandy at 10:10 am EDT October 28, 2012. Image credit: NASA/GSFC.
A near-average year for number of tropical cyclones hitting the U.S.
Since the active hurricane period we've been in began in 1995, the U.S. has averaged getting hit by 4 named storms per year, with an average of 1.7 of these being hurricanes, and 0.6 being major Category 3 and stronger hurricanes. This year, we were hit by 3 named storms (Beryl, Debby, and Isaac). One of these was a hurricane (Isaac). Sandy didn't count as a hurricane strike on the U.S., since it transitioned to an extratropical cyclone a few hours before landfall. No major hurricanes hit the U.S., making 2012 the 7th consecutive year without a major hurricane strike. The only other time we've had a streak that long occurred between 1861 - 1868, during the decade of the Civil War.
Figure 2. Vertical instability over the tropical Atlantic in 2004 - 2012 (blue line) compared to average (black line.) The instability is plotted in °C, as a difference in temperature from near the surface to the upper atmosphere (note that the same scale is not used in all the plots, making the black climatological line appear different, when it is really the same for each plot.) Thunderstorms grow much more readily when vertical instability is high. Instability was near average during the August - October peak of hurricane season in 2004 - 2009, but was much lower than average during the hurricane seasons of 2010 - 2012. There was an unusual amount of dry, sinking air in the tropical Atlantic during 2010 - 2012, and the resulting low atmospheric instability reduced the proportion of tropical storms that have intensified into hurricanes. Vertical instability from 2004 - 2011 is taken from NOAA/RAMMB and for 2012 from NOAA/SSD.
Unusually stable air over the Tropical Atlantic in 2012
For the third consecutive hurricane season, 2012 featured an unusual amount of dry, sinking air over the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. Due to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures and an active African Monsoon that generated plenty of African waves, a remarkably high number of tropical storms managed to form, but the unusually stable air in the hurricane genesis regions made it difficult for the storms to become strong. When we did see storms undergo significant intensification, it tended to occur outside of the tropics, north of 25°N, where there was not as much dry, sinking air (Sandy's intensification as it approached landfall in Cuba was an exception to this rule.) If we look at the last nine hurricane seasons (Figure 2), we can see that the hurricane seasons of 2010, 2011, and 2012 all featured similar levels of highly stable air over the tropical Atlantic. This is in marked contrast to what occurred the previous six years. The past three seasons all featured a near-record number of named storms (nineteen each year), but an unusually low ratio of strong hurricanes. Steering patterns the past three years also acted to keep most of the storms out to sea. Is this strange pattern something we'll see more of, due to climate change? Or is it mostly due to natural cycles in hurricane activity? I don't have any answers at this point, but the past three hurricane seasons have definitely been highly unusual in a historical context. I expect the steering currents to shift and bring more landfalling hurricanes to the U.S. at some point this decade, though.
Figure 3. Sea water floods the Ground Zero construction site at the World Trade Center, Monday, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York City. Image credit: AP.
Most notable events of the Hurricane Season of 2012
Hurricane Sandy was truly astounding in its size and power. At its peak size, twenty hours before landfall, Sandy had tropical storm-force winds that covered an area nearly one-fifth the area of the contiguous United States. Since detailed records of hurricane size began in 1988, only one tropical storm (Olga of 2001) has had a larger area of tropical storm-force winds, and no hurricanes has. Sandy's area of ocean with twelve-foot seas peaked at 1.4 million square miles--nearly one-half the area of the contiguous United States, or 1% of Earth's total ocean area. Most incredibly, ten hours before landfall (9:30 am EDT October 30), the total energy of Sandy's winds of tropical storm-force and higher peaked at 329 terajoules--the highest value for any Atlantic hurricane since at least 1969. This is 2.7 times higher than Katrina's peak energy, and is equivalent to five Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs. At landfall, Sandy's tropical storm-force winds spanned 943 miles of the the U.S. coast. No hurricane on record has been wider; the previous record holder was Hurricane Igor of 2010, which was 863 miles in diameter. Sandy's huge size prompted high wind warnings to be posted from Chicago to Eastern Maine, and from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to Florida's Lake Okeechobee--an area home to 120 million people. Sandy's winds simultaneously caused damage to buildings on the shores of Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore, and toppled power lines in Nova Scotia, Canada--locations 1200 miles apart!
Figure 4. Hurricane Isaac lit up by moonlight as it spins towards the city of New Orleans, LA, on August 26, 2012. The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite captured these images with its Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The "day-night band" of VIIRS detects light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses light intensification to enable the detection of dim signals. Image Credit: NASA/NOAA, Earth Observatory.
Hurricane Isaac hit Louisiana as a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mph winds on August 28, but the storm's massive wind field brought a storm surge characteristic of a Category 2 hurricane to the coast. A storm surge of 11.1 feet was measured at Shell Beach, LA and higher surges were reported in portions of Louisiana. Fortunately, the new $14.5 billion upgrade to the New Orleans levee system kept the city dry. Isaac killed 9 people in the U.S., and 29 in the Caribbean.
Hurricane Ernesto hit Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph winds on August 7. The storm killed 12 and did at least $250 million in damage.
Tropical Storm Debby formed on June 23, the earliest formation date on record for the season's 4th storm. The previous record was Dennis, on July 5, 2005. Debby killed seven and did over $300 million in damage, but helped relieve drought conditions over Northern Florida and Southern Georgia.
Tropical Storm Beryl, which made landfall on May 28 near Jacksonville Beach, FL with 70 mph winds, was the strongest tropical storm to make landfall in the U.S. prior to June 1. Beryl killed two but did minimal damage.
Nadine lasted for 21.75 days as a named storm, the 5th longest-lasting tropical storm in the Atlantic basin.
It was the 3rd year in a row with 19 named storms.
No named storms existed during the month of July and November, but we still managed big numbers.
Only 7 seasons have had more hurricanes than 2012.
The season had two named storm before the official June 1 start of hurricane season, only the 3rd time that has occurred.
Eight named storms formed in August, which tied 2004 for the most to form in that month.
Typhoon Bopha a threat to the Philippines
In the Western Pacific, where typhoon season commonly brings several storms in December, we have impressive Typhoon Bopha. Bopha is expected to head west-northwest and intensify over the weekend, potentially arriving in the Philippines on Tuesday as a powerful Category 3 typhoon. Bopha formed at an unusually low latitude for a tropical cyclone--near 4°N. Storms forming that close to the Equator don't get much help from the Earth's spin to get spinning, and it is rare to see a tropical cyclone forming southwards of 5°N.
The Colorado State University hurricane forecast team, led by Phil Klotzbach and Bill Gray, has a more in-depth summary of the 2012 hurricane season.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 — Blog Index
This shear is forecast to weaken about 20 knots by Monday, which may allow for some gradual development up until mid-week when it becomes extratropical.
Storm remins me so much of Michael. Small low pressure that was initially exposed with no organized convection. After shear lowered it took off though.
Yep, that'd be the blob.
Watched that southeastern part of it start getting all caught up in that flow just to its east today, right toward my coast. Lots of wet.
That low pressure system northwest of Hawaii is expected to bring wet weather to Hawaii beginning early next week.
I don't feel insulted. You are, however, insulting to me and anyone else who dares to present something you don't like. The graphs origins are with Weatherbell. I understand it just fine. As for huffy and puffy, it's what you do best. Exactly when did I "defend" the graph. I said it speaks for itself.
Link
"Mad Scientists and Geo-Engineering
by BINOY KAMPMARK
We are doomed as a parasitic, rapacious species, and with that air of certain demise, anything is possible. That, at least, seems to be behind the desperate push for a human effort to reverse, alter and adjust the environment in order to halt the previous effects of alteration and adjustment that have been visited upon the globe. One thing is bound to happen: a right royal cock-up of stupendous proportions. If something is broken, it’s bound to get even more so when it comes to “environmental” solutions.
Let us, for a moment, assume the optimist’s position on what has come to be called geo-engineering”, the effort to lessen the impact of climate change by altering the earth’s climate. This is donning the cap of reflection, an eccentric’s demeanour in attempting to right the crimes committed against the environment. Research as to whether such dramatic measures of environmental reversal are possible has yet to be done on a grand scale, and is being proposed. A genteel David Keith of Harvard University in a recent interview (ABC Lateline, Nov 22), suggested that environmentally engineered adjustments were entirely feasible in a scientific sense..."
interesting article worth reading
Bopha:
The low itself, yeah, probably so. Not what I meant, sorry if it was unclear.
Watch the wv loops, you can see the moisture getting pulled off of that SE heavy chunk. Been at it for most of the day, and it's moistening up stuff to the NE pretty quick.
That's okay. I didn't state it in the first place.
No "pineapple express" here. It's origins are at least 500 miles north of the Islands.
Saw that the Truckee was looking to crest pretty high by the end of this. Good luck up there. Sacto River is expected to probably hit some flood stages up farther in the valley, too, fingers crossed down here that all of the bypasses will be enough to keep it out of the towns along the way.
91L
Good point, but the result is similar - rain day and night, snow level fluxuating between 5500 ft. (rarely) and over 10,000 ft. (mostly). TX, OK, KS, and NE, eat your heart out.
that wuld go with the wacky season
There was definitely an unnamed storm in the north central Atlantic at about 01:16!
...MULTI-DAY RAIN...WIND...AND SNOW EVENT CONTINUES TO IMPACT THE NORTHWEST...
AT 600 PM PST...AN EXPANSIVE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WITH A CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 973 MB...28.72 INCHES...CENTERED OVER THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC CONTINUES TO FEED MOISTURE INTO THE WESTERN U.S. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADARS AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATED SCATTERED TO WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN ACROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON... NORTHWEST OREGON... AND SOUTHERN IDAHO TO NORTHERN UTAH. SOME LIGHTER AND MORE SCATTERED PRECIPITATION WAS ALSO FALLING IN PARTS CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AND EASTERN NEVADA. THE MAJORITY OF THE PRECIPITATION IS FALLING IN THE FORM OF RAIN. HOWEVER... SNOW WAS BEING RECORDED IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE REGION.
THE MODERATE TO HEAVY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND THE NORTHERN HALF OF CALIFORNIA THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY. SOME AREAS COULD RECEIVE STORM TOTAL RAINFALL OF 12 TO 15 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE WESTERN U.S...SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 3 FEET WILL BE POSSIBLE...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. ADDITIONALLY... STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHWEST GIVEN THE STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE HIGH PRESSURE IN THE SOUTHWEST U.S. AND THE LOW PRESSURE OF THIS STORM.
i'm sorry but hahahahahahahahahahahah were we in the same boat 40 years ago. good luck with the getting old thing.
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
1250 AM EST SAT DEC 1 2012
FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO...
1. SHOWER ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE...
LOCATED OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC OCEAN ABOUT 1350 MILES
EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...IS GRADUALLY BECOMING
BETTER ORGANIZED. ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS LOW IS POSSIBLE
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE IT MERGES WITH A FRONTAL
SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM HAS A MEDIUM CHANCE...40 PERCENT...OF BECOMING
A TROPICAL OR SUBTROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AS IT
MOVES GENERALLY TO THE NORTH AT 10 TO 15 MPH. ANOTHER SPECIAL
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED FOR THIS SYSTEM LATER
TODAY...IF NECESSARY.
can't believe I'm posting this
Can't believe you beat TA to posting this, albeit him not being on right now, but still.
Interesting time to post, one hour into the first day of the off-season.
Video
Amazing how truly little Cape Verde development occurred that year, despite the obscene number of named storms.
Tropical Cyclone Outlook
11:30 AM IST December 1 2012
=================================
Vortex over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining east central Bay of Bengal centered within a half degree of 11.0N 90.0E.
Dvorak intensity: T1.0
Center is more clear in visible imagery. Wind shear is of the order of 10 knots over the region.
Tropical Cyclone Advisory #45
TYPHOON BOPHA (T1224)
15:00 PM JST December 1 2012
=======================================
SUBJECT: Category Four Typhoon Near Caroline Islands
At 6:00 AM UTC, Typhoon Bopha (945 hPa) located at 5.1N 141.1E has 10 minute sustained winds of 90 knots with gusts of 130 knots. The cyclone is reported as moving west northwest at 10 knots.
Dvorak Intensity: T5.5
Storm Force Winds
================
80 NM from the center
Gale Force Winds
===============
210 NM from the center in northern quadrant
180 NM from the center in southern quadrant
Forecast and Intensity
=======================
24 HRS: 6.2N 137.1E - 95 knots (CAT 4/Very Strong Typhoon) Caroline Island
48 HRS: 7.6N 132.4E - 95 knots (CAT 4/Very Strong Typhoon) East of Mindanao (Philippines)
72 HRS: 9.2N 127.5E - 95 knots (CAT 4/Very Strong Typhoon) East of Mindanao (Philippines)
First you have the "squiggle" storms out in the eastern central atlantic zig-zagging around. Then, you have a number of central atlantic recurving storms just to the west of the "squiggles"... then there's somewhat of a nucleolus of clustered storms right off the southeastern coast... then you have some north central gulf impacts...then you have your trans-Caribbean storms with Yucatan/central american impacts with eventual impacts in the southern BOC. And finally in both seasons you've got two storms crossing cuba/hispanola on a north to NW track. Not to mention Sandy and Ophelia doing weird stuff up the east coast.
Obviously there are a number of differences, but overall, when compared with 2010 and 2011 which had the same number of storms, this year stands out as having mimicked 2005's distribution pattern.
PARAMEDICS have treated more than a dozen people for heat exhaustion, as temperatures soared to almost 43C in parts of the state.
Across NSW nine people were hospitalised on Saturday, suffering heat stroke, stress or heat exhaustion, while another three were treated by ambulance staff.
At Bondi in Sydney's east, a 91-year-old man was taken to St Vincent's Hospital in a stable condition, while in Raby in the southwestern suburbs, a 19-year-old man was hit with heat stroke while playing cricket and taken to Campbelltown Hospital.
The incidents came after Sydney ushered in its hottest start to summer overnight since records started in 1859.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said the city experienced a minimum of 23C overnight.
"It was a first night of summer record,'' meteorologist Julie Evans told AAP.
Meanwhile, on Saturday the hottest place in the state was Coonamble in NSW's central west, which reached 42.8C, the bureau said.
In western Sydney, temperatures did not hit the maximum of 40C forecast, instead peaking at about 38C.
"That was because we did have more cloud around than was expected,'' Ms Evans said.
Cooler weather is expected for Sunday, with scattered showers and a minimum of 21C and a maximum of 24C forecast for Sydney.
In Penrith, a maximum of 26C is expected, while people in Moree in northern NSW will face the state's highest temperature at 41C.
Ms Evans said despite the drop in temperatures, humidity is expected to linger across Sydney until mid-week.
"On Wednesday, a westerly change is coming through and taking a lot of that humidity away.''
However, she said, early forecasts show that next weekend could bring high temperatures back across the state, with a top of 31C forecast for Sydney next Saturday and a maximum of 37C in the western suburbs.
"What we are seeing for next weekend is similar to what we are having today, which is mid to high 30s.''
She said it was shaping up to be a warmer summer than last year.
"Last summer, only two days reached 30C at Observatory Hill (in Sydney).''
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JUAN PR
432 AM AST SAT DEC 1 2012
.SYNOPSIS...BROAD MID-UPPER TROUGH WILL DOMINATE THE WRN ATLC INTO
THE CARIBBEAN THROUGH ALL OF NEXT WEEK. INVERTED SFC TROF WILL
BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED TODAY THROUGH SUN AND PUSH SE OF THE AREA
BY MON.
&&
.DISCUSSION...LATEST GUIDANCE SHOWS A QUICK SURGE IN MOISTURE
LATER TODAY WITH PWAT VALUES CLIMBING TO ALMOST TWO INCHES WHICH
IS CLOSE TO TWO STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE NORMAL FOR DEC. S/W
TROUGH NOW EXITING THE FLORIDA PENINSULA WILL AMPLIFY OVER THE
NEXT 48 HRS AS IT MOVES EWD. THIS FEATURE WILL INDUCE AN INVERTED
SFC TROF ACROSS THE AREA AND AID IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. BIGGEST CONCERN FOR
HEAVY RAINFALL IS THAT STEERING WINDS ARE FCST TO COLLAPSE LATE
TONIGHT THRU SUN WHICH COULD RESULT IN VERY SLOW MOVING CONVECTION
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING INTENSE RAINFALL RATES. FLASH FLOOD WATCH WAS
ISSUED ON THIS BASIS AND AREAL CVRG WAS DETERMINED BY A DECEMBER
RAINFALL CLIMATOLOGY FROM 1981-2010 WHICH SHOWS THAT MOST HEAVY
RAINFALL EVENTS ACROSS THE ISLAND IN DECEMBER TAKE PLACE ACROSS
NORTHEAST PUERTO RICO. RIVERS IN THIS AREA ARE VERY SHORT IN
LENGTH AND VERY FAST RESPONDERS SO EXPECT TO SEE SOME FLOODING
EITHER TODAY OR TOMORROW.
THINGS IMPROVE SOMEWHAT SUN NIGHT AND MON AS INVERTED TROF PUSHES
SOUTHEAST AND MID LEVELS START TO DRY OUT. HOWEVER...INCREASING
NORTHERLIES AND COOL ADVECTIVE PATTERN WILL RESULT IN NOCTURNAL
SHOWERS ALONG THE NORTH COAST. THIS PATTERN IS LIKELY TO LAST MUCH
OF NEXT WEEK UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A BROAD TROUGH.
&&
.AVIATION...PASSING SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO PREVAIL ACROSS THE
FLYING AREA THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT ALSO EXPECTED OVER THE CORDILLERA CENTRAL BETWEEN 01/17Z
AND 01/21Z. LLVL WINDS WILL REMAIN MAINLY FROM THE EAST NORTHEAST
AT 05-10 KT WITH SEA BREEZE VARIATIONS.
&&
.MARINE...SEAS 4-6 FT EXPECTED TO BUILD MON NIGHT TO 10 FT IN
NORTHEAST SWELLS. GUIDANCE ACTUALLY SHOWS SEAS BUILDING TO 12 FT
BUT SWELLS GREATER THAN 10 FT ARE CLIMATOLOGICAL RARE. WILL
CONTINUE TO MONITOR GUIDANCE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
&&
.CLIMATE...NOVEMBER 2012 ENDED AS THE HOTTEST NOVEMBER ON RECORD
AT LMM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (TJSJ) WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE
OF 82.4 DEGREES. IN TERM OF PRECIPITATION AT TJSJ...NOVEMBER ENDED
AS THE TWELFTH DRIEST NOVEMBER ON RECORD WITH JUST 3.09 INCHES. AT
CHRISTIANSTED AIRPORT (TISX)...NOVEMBER 2012 ENDED AS THE NINTH
HOTTEST NOVEMBER ON RECORD WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 81.2
DEGREES.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SJU 84 79 83 73 / 60 100 100 30
STT 81 80 80 79 / 60 100 100 30
Evening Mate!
Aussie, the storm picture was awesome, wow isn't a big enough word!!!
Hey mate, I haven't completely melted yet but almost. I feel like I am sitting a pool of sweat.
Temp is at 79F right now with 65% humidity making a heat index of 81.3F. It's 22:40 Saturday night here. Waiting on a cold change, the temp right now is meant to be our max temp tomorrow.
The latest microwave just barely managed to catch its pinhole eye:
As Indian Riverkeeper, I belong to the Waterkeepers Alliance. They help produce a newsletter that I get daily. Here is a link to it.. Eco Watch
Today, I ran across a video that curiosity made me watch. Believing that Bill O'Rielly is nothing more than entertainment, I have little interest in his biased (aren't they all?) view. However, the subject of global warming tweaked my interest. If you would like to watch a AGW skeptic change her mind, this is the place.
Bill O%u2019Reilly Fan Shares Her Paradigm Shift After Watching Climate Change Documentary
After watching this, I of course had to watch the trailer for Chasing Ice.. I have to see this one.. if nothing else, the photography and scenery are outstanding.
Chasing Ice Trailer
Here is the official website; Chasing Ice
1) Under the video you wish to place here, click "Share".
2) Click "Embed" (note that some videos have this option turned off; in such cases, you're out of luck).
3) In the list of options, be sure "Use old embed code" is checked. (Note that this option is not available for every video for technical reasons. If so, you won't be able to embed it from YouTube. But such videos are often available elsewhere on the web, and can be embedded here.)
4) Enter "500" in the Custom Width box.
6) Copy the embed code in the box.
7) Paste it here as text. That is, don't attempt to place it in a quote box, or an image. Simply paste it here, and you're done. Like this:
From another magazine I get; Eco-Voice Digest
This is humor.. and is posted as such.
Dec. 5 Eleanor Sterling, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, AMNH Climate Change & Impacts on Biodiversity
Dear friends and colleagues,
We recently uncovered this ancient letter, dated 6,000 BC, from Noah to God:
Dear God,
We are writing to let you know that we received your projection of an upcoming catastrophic climate change, with accompanying flood. We also looked over your rather fanciful recommendation that we build and stock an "ark". As you know, climate forecasters remain uncertain as to whether it will rain for forty days and forty nights. Indeed, our own wise man has read the sheep entrails and projects a range that includes the possibility of no additional precipitation, or perhaps even an extended drought.
Should heavy rains develop-and we assume, realistically, a worst-case scenario of seven days and seven nights-rest assured, the Noah's are prepared. We can quickly build two goat-skin rafts, on which we can take the entire family, our goats, sheep chickens, camels and enough seed to see us through the next season. Frankly we are baffled by your "command" that "two-by-two" we take on board and feed all the animals of creation, including: serpents, mice, bats, horses, lice, buffalo, doves, elephants, geckos, frogs, chimpanzees, polar bears, moose, prairie dogs, quail, springbok, squirrels, mosquitos, turtles, beavers, grasshoppers and countless other useless creatures.
Really, what is the point? Most of these animals live thousands of miles away from human civilization. What use could they possibly be to anyone? And besides, do you have any idea what this ark would cost? In spite of your reputation for omniscience, we are quite frankly disturbed that you have been taken in by environmental extremists bent on wrecking our economy.
Sincerely,
Noah
Patriarch and Senior Research Fellow
The Noah-It-All Institute
PS: What is a gecko?
Viewing: 301 - 351
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 — Blog Index