The Myth of the "Generational Storm"

 

                                                            Prince Edward County snow plough

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, a week before Christmas Eve, our pastor, Rev, Isaac, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to gather again for an evening worship service after two pandemic-cancelled years. Well, it was not to be for us or for thousands of congregations across Canada and the United States. As many of you will well know, a massive Winter storm kiboshed family gatherings, brought travel to a standstill, and resulted in empty church buildings. Sadly, dozens of people died while others huddled in the cold and dark. 

This was not a Merry Christmas for so many, for obvious reasons, but we were grateful that our family gatherings could happen, even though several were unable to attend and were sorely missed. Prince Edward County, just to the south of us, was essentially shut down. 

In the extensive reporting about what unfolded through the weekend the term generational storm was used often, obviously the latest buzz phrase. I found this disturbing because if we have been paying attention there have been wild and destructive weather events in the 21st century which have become more frequent even as they are more ferocious. 

Often the news leaves out what many climate scientists continue to point out based on data, that this will become the reality of our time and into an uncertain future. It isn't the "new normal" because the evidence suggests that these events will be unpredictable and increasingly intense. 

                                                            Ottawa Airport on the weekend 

It has also been noted that many of the media reports say little or nothing about the reasons for the extent and wallop of this recent Snowmaggedon. The Jet Stream, which has been somewhat predictable, is becoming capricious. It dipped down to the extent that even Texas, a widely climate change denying state, experienced freezing temperatures. We hear of changes to the Gulf Stream and La Nina and other patterns which affect millions of humans, as well as other creatures. 

Margaret Klein Salamon, PhD

@ClimatePsych

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4h

Did I miss all the news coverage tying the insane polar vortex/ continent-wide storm to the climate emergency? Or was there just….. crickets?

I appreciate that there is no "ho,ho,ho" in this blog entry, but perhaps we need to heed the warnings of those who actually study this for a living. Not only have I seen that climate scientists have been accurate, although actually conservative in their predictions over the past few decades, so have fossil fuel companies whose scientists were able to project the heating of the planet. 

I hope all of you are safe and that the disruptions you experienced over Christmas weren't too disheartening. God be with all those who are still struggling to get home or whose homes are not habitable at the moment. 

At least someone maintained a sense of humour. 

The storm couldn't keep Brian Dickie — also known as Santa Claus — from riding through the streets of Carleton Place, Ont., on Christmas Eve. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)