Wettest month ever!

I admit to enjoying weather porn. When a huge rainstorm came to Vancouver a couple of weeks ago, I just had to put on the 6 o’clock news to see the visuals. And then there was the snowstorm (oh, baby). Of course, the thrill of seeing Mother Nature’s wrath is generally better when it is not you – a thought that crossed my mind as I was shovelling snow this week.

What a month it was in Vancouver for weather pornographers. It has now been officially declared to be the wettest month EVER, since they have been keeping records anyway. I could go on and on, but I doubt I will get any sympathy from the rest of Canada given that it is only the end of November.

Deny it if you will, but this pattern is entirely consistent with what can be expected from climate change. And this is with just a 0.6 degree increase in average temperatures worldwide relative to pre-industrial times. CO2 emissions already in the air will most likely lock in an average temperature increase of an additional 1-2 degrees, even if we were to stop adding more right now. And beyond 2 degrees above pre-industrial we are in uncharted territory that some scientists think could lead to run-away climate change.

More weather porn to come, that much is certain. Yet, in spite of the looming crisis, I see nothing but political paralysis on this issue, though Canadians appear ready for a meaningful action plan. Message to our leaders: stop cutting taxes and start fixing problems.

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