The New York Times had a fascinating article in today's paper. The Mohonk Mountain House, about 80 miles north of NYC, has maintained weather records kept in a consistent manner since 1896; exactly the same location and methodology. Thus, we know with scientific precision that if the GOP wins we're doomed (link to article):
Excerpts follow in body:
September 16, 2008
Weather History Offers Insight Into Global Warming
By ANTHONY DePALMA
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — It is probably a good thing that the Mohonk Mountain House, the 19th-century resort, was built on Shawangunk conglomerate, a concrete-hard quartz rock. Otherwise, the path to the National Weather Service’s cooperative station here surely would have turned to dust by now.
Every day for the last 112 years, people have trekked up the same gray outcropping to dutifully record temperatures and weather conditions. In the process, they have compiled a remarkable data collection that has become a climatological treasure chest.
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The record shows that on this ridge in the Shawangunk Mountains, about 20 miles south of the better-known Catskills, the average annual temperature has risen 2.7 degrees in 112 years. Of the top 10 warmest years in that time, 7 have come since 1990. Both annual precipitation and annual snowfall have increased, and the growing season has lengthened by 10 days.
But what makes the data truly singular is how it parallels a vast collection of phenological observations taken at this same place, and by many of the same observers, since 1925.
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The results showed how sensitive species can be to climate change, even though the climate data itself is mixed. Benjamin Cook said hepatica, bloodroot and red berried elder tended to show the strongest trends toward earlier flowering. And despite a general warming trend, there was no significant increase in the length of the frost-free season. Nonetheless, there were significantly more days without frost.
"This is more than just a normal January thaw," Mr. Cook said. The increase in warmer days in winter sends false signals to plants and animals whose seasonal changes can be set off by the temporary warmth.
What all of this means is that unless we speedily shut down almost all industry and automotive traffic we're doomed. Obama is the only one with the requisite courage to save the planet, and prevent Bush the people from Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from bankrupting and destroying the country.
We have a chance to save it, by voting for the Democrats and Obama. We can do it, we should do it and we must do it.