Tragedy in Haines

[alaskaflyer]

Originally Posted by ketchikanite

Good update to explain the weather in southeast
.

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/20...-more-to-come/

Indeed:

"Never in Southeast Alaska’s recorded history have we seen a rain event like what happened Tuesday and Wednesday and more storms are lining up with a wet weekend likely ahead."

Yes, we've always experienced the Pineapple Express but, also from KTUU, linked in the article above: "An added concern to atmospheric rivers, as detailed in the study, is that a changing climate is yielding the potential for stronger atmospheric river events. The warmer the atmosphere, the more moisture that will flow in these rivers in the sky, which ultimately could make them more intense in the future."

But no, no changes here, nothing to see, move on

In Ketchikan your house isn't built on permafrost, which is melting by the way, like mine was.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by alaskaflyer

Yes, we've always experienced the Pineapple Express but, also from KTUU, linked in the article above: "An added concern to atmospheric rivers, as detailed in the study, is that a changing climate is yielding the potential for stronger atmospheric river events. The warmer the atmosphere, the more moisture that will flow in these rivers in the sky, which ultimately could make them more intense in the future."

But no, no changes here, nothing to see, move on

In a region like SE AK it only takes a couple of degrees of temperature change (in either the atmosphere or the ocean) to turn the region's precipitation from snow to rain, seasonal soil freeze versus thaw, and vice versa. That is within the realm of annual weather variation (as opposed to periodicity of climate). It is true whether the resulting temperature change was due to anthropogenic-induced warming or not. Its also the main reason why tidewater glaciers (which SE is known for...what do you think formed the topography of Haines and the rest of the area?) are so dynamic. The reactivity of tidewater glaciers and near shore icefields occurs because they are at the extreme unstable end of conditions that support their formation in the first place.

Yes, Pineapple Express events have probably occurred for hundreds if not thousands of years. Yes, the glaciers in the region have been retreating and decaying for hundreds of years (post Little Ice Age at least but geological research suggests similar cycles before that), but you can't lay the finger of blame on human industry alone for that one though people love to try. Go read up on it. The extensive archives of glaciology and climate research at Glacier Bay NP&P will demonstrate all of it. HOWEVER, and its a big HOWEVER, global climate change is going to make these events more extreme. You can be sure that the cumulative effects of human activity do have a hand in that. So sorry reality isn't simple. There is more than one villain creating the threat. It isn't black or white, all or nothing, either or. If that's what you want, too bad. It is more nuanced, which requires a discerning brain to understand.

Regardless what you choose to blame, better hang on to your hats, SE residents. You're going to see more of it. It isn't rocket science, its climate science.