The saying about March is that it “comes in like a lion and out like a lamb”However, someone forgot to tell that to March, at least as far as the Northeast US is concerned.This post is being written from the Boston, Massachusetts, area, which has (so far) had 3 back-to-back-to-back nor’easters - watch the video below, very well-produced and a bit scary...
...and as this is being written, a possible FOURTH nor'easter is being predicted for the 20th of March....
I realize that this is weather and not climate.However, we should understand the dynamics behind this weather.Some would say, ‘so much for Global Warming;, look at all of this snow.However, what powers a Nor’easter?
Nor’easters are born much like other storms. “They’re low pressure systems of the same kind that give us our precipitation in the United States throughout the year,” says Jeff Masters, director of meteorology at Weather Underground. “But they happen to form right off the Northeast coast and in winter.” The winds blowing from the northeast that give these storms their name also push them ashore.
The storms derive their energy from the contrast in air temperature between very cold, dense air from Canada that meets relatively warm, moist air coming off the Atlantic Ocean. “That difference in air masses can be converted to the energy of the winds and precipitation that come with the storm,” Masters says.
The storms… exploit the contrast between the cold air over land and the warmth of the oceans, which are running more than 2°F warmer than normal along much of the coast, said Kevin Trenberth, a climatologist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. The warmer ocean waters mean more moisture in the atmosphere for the storm to suck up; the cold air over the continent ensures that moisture falls as snow.
About half of the current anomalous ocean warmth, and therefore the enhanced moisture, can be attributed to climate change. As the oceans and atmosphere warm due to the buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, that moisture source could continue to grow, to the tune of 4 percent more water vapor in the atmosphere for every 1°F rise in global temperatures. Earth’s average temperature has already risen by 1.6°F since the beginning of the 20th century, and is expected to rise another 0.5°F to 9°F by 2100, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, depending on greenhouse gas emissions.
So there is at least a likely dynamic, if not a cause-and effect relationship, between climate change and these nor’easters.
And even if there isn’t, such a link, or you don’t believe there is, feel free to debunk and diminish the above.It doesn’t matter.And that’s because regardless of the cause, the effect is causing projects to be initiated in reaction to the anticipated increase in intensity and frequency of storms in the Boston area.
A recent opinion piece in the Boston Globe focuses on ‘climate readiness’ and refers to the Climate Ready Boston report recently issued.You should have a look at this executive summary, if not the full report.It starts: “Climate Ready Boston is the City of Boston’s ongoing initiative to adapt to climate change. Working with partners at all levels of government and in the private sector, we can protect Boston as severe weather and sea level rise create more challenges. There is much more to be done. That’s why Boston is getting started now.”
The report is basically a launch of a portfolio of projects and programs. Here’s a view of these programs and progress against them.
The point is that whatever the drivers, and whether you agree or not with the rationale, climate-readiness projects are being launched in a big way, not just in Boston, but all over the world.So it pays to understand the science and the reaction.As project managers, these initiatives will provide ‘sustainable’ employment – for what I would assert are worthwhile efforts for humankind, agree or disagree with climate science.
So as we slowly “roar” our way out of March, take a moment to get smart about these types of projects.Here are some other recent examples:
