What Happen to Global Warming? It’s Cold!

Next Sunday (2 Feb), is Groundhog Day – the day according to folklore in which the groundhog makes an appearance.  If it is cloudy when he emerges from his burrow, then Spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into his burrow, and winter weather will continue for six more weeks.  Well, if the groundhog is that smart, he’ll say – “Forget the shadow.  It’s too cold!”

 

What happen to so-called ‘global warming’ … because it is nowhere to be found. Today’s sub-zero temperature here in Minnesota has a -45 degree wind-chill.  The fact is: The mean global temperature has not risen in 17-years and has been slowly falling for approximately the past 10-years.  In 2013, there were more record-low temperatures than record-high temperatures in the United States.

 

At the end of the first week in January 2014, a brutal spell of cold weather settled over most of the country.  Multiple cold-temperature records were shattered across the nation. Some sites experienced frigid conditions not seen since the 19th century.  Chicago and New York City broke temperature records set in 1894 and 1896, respectively.  These extremes were not singular, but exemplary of conditions throughout much of the continent.  Temperatures in Chicago were so cold that a polar bear at the Lincoln Park Zoo had to be taken inside.

 

The onset of polar conditions over the United States was also a reminder that cold weather (in general) is more hostile to human welfare than warm weather.  The operation of power grids, gas pipelines and oil refineries was disrupted.  Passengers on Amtrak trains were left stranded, and thousands of flights were delayed or canceled.  By Jan. 7, the media were reporting at least 21 deaths directly related to the cold.

 

The January freeze caused $3 million in damage to vineyards in Ohio.  Citrus crops in Florida apparently escaped damage, but California growers were not so lucky.  A weeklong spell of cold weather in early December damaged up to half of the state’s $1.5 billion citrus crop.  California farmers may (or may not) take consolation in the fact that their state government is attempting to further cool the climate by mandating a reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions.

 

As frigid conditions settled over the nation, global-warming alarmists went into full denial mode.  We were emphatically lectured that singular weather events are not necessarily indicative of long-term climate trends.  True enough, but haven’t we been repeatedly told that weather events such as hurricanes Sandy and Katrina are unequivocal proof of global warming?

 

If we’re really in the middle of a ‘climate crisis,’ is it not remarkable that low-temperature records from the 19th century were shattered?

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel