Hurricane Ophelia - Actual evidence of climate change?

[Jimmy Higgins]

We saw a very unique storm in Texas that lumbered around and dropped a record amount of precipitation as it drew in moisture from a very warm Gulf of Mexico and just didn't bother to move due to high pressure over the central United States. This was an oddity, but seemingly a statistical likelihood. Hurricanes form over the the Gulf of Mexico, and are at the will of pressure systems. It was a rare storm, but not a storm that would suggest the climate is changing.

Hurricane Ophelia is/was a storm that could actually be a sign of climate change as it was an absolute outlier on a couple levels. The hurricane, which just bashed Ireland, setting a record for the strongest wind gust recorded in Ireland, was the further east storm to become a Category 3 hurricane. It also, followed a track that has been unheard of, forming south of the Azores and heading towards the UK. Usually post tropical systems round New England or the Maritimes or Bermuda before making the long trip to Europe and causing trouble.

The hurricane was aided by well above normal temperatures in the Atlantic ocean... an area where storms typically don't have a shot at survival, forget development into a "major" hurricane. The uniqueness of this hurricane based on it's origin, tracking, and unusual development could provide, in my opinion, evidence of climate change.

 

[RavenSky]

I tend to agree.

Also the sheer number of really intense storms. iirc, every hurricane from Harvey to Ophelia broke records.

 

[James Brown]

I'm still waiting for one of those 'cooler-than-average' months that Fox News assures me happens all the time.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I'm still waiting for one of those 'cooler-than-average' months that Fox News assures me happens all the time.

Typically, it needs to be cooler somewhere if there are places that are well above normal, otherwise, the global temperature would be skyrocketing. And Ohio had some record cool months in the winter and record months in the summer/fall in the same year.

I'm surprised Fox News hasn't invented some place and started giving made up weather to debunk climate change.

 

[sharon45]

The hurricane was aided by well above normal temperatures in the Atlantic ocean... an area where storms typically don't have a shot at survival, forget development into a "major" hurricane. The uniqueness of this hurricane based on it's origin, tracking, and unusual development could provide, in my opinion, evidence of climate change.

It doesn't really matter much when it is still going to be vastly ignored.