Past Extreme Weather
Global Warming
The theory of radiative forcing from increased greenhouse gasses as a cause of global warming appears sound. While other factors are at work, the warming of recent decades is approximately consistent with this theory. The maximal rate through present is for warming trends beginning in the mid 1970s as seen in the NOAA graph of global mean temperature below. Presumably, a policy goal is to reduce carbon dioxide in order to return to global mean temperatures of decades prior to the mid 1970s.
Events of Lower Global Mean Temperatures
Would somehow returning global mean temperature to lower values lead to benign climate, without catastrophic weather events? No. Below are photographs of nine selected atmospheric catastrophes all from the decades prior to the recent warming trend. We should expect similar events to recur, perhaps regardless of global mean temperature.
A complete list of these and other events are found at:
https://www.loveexploring.com/gallerylist/84422/dramatic-weather-events-from-1900-to-today
The Galveston Hurricane
September 8, 1900, Galveston Texas, US.
Between 8,000 and 12,000 dead.
[Library of Congress/CC0]
The Great Storm
November 1913, Great Lakes, US.
Intense winter storms with blizzards, thunderstorms, powerful winds and lethal waves.
Approximately 250 dead and over 42 ships lost.
[Chicago Daily News photographer/Wikimedia Commons/CC0]
The Tri-State Tornado
March 18, 1925, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, US.
Intense, large and long duration tornado.
Resulted in 695 deaths, 15,000 homes destroyed.
[Topical Press Agency/Getty Images]
The Dust Bowl
Variably, through the decade of the 1930s, many regions of the US.
Recurrent drought, high summer temperatures and blowing dust during Spring.
Devastating loss of agricultural yield and livelihoods, untold indirect deaths.
[PhotoQuest/Getty Images]
The London Smog
Early December, 1952, London, UK.
Air stagnation and resultant persistent pollution.
Estimated 4,000 premature deaths and lost production.
[Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images]
The North Sea Storm of 1953
January 31, 1953, Britain, Belgium, The Netherlands.
Winter storm ( known as a North Sea Storm ).
At least 1,800 deaths, destruction of property and loss of livestock.
[AFP/Getty Images]
The Bel-Aire Fire
November 5, 1961, Souther California, US.
Wildfire driven by Santa Ana Winds.
Massive loss of homes and property and 16,000 acres destroyed.
[Hulton Archive/Getty Images]
The European Tornado Outbreak of 1967
June, 1967, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Tornado outbreak.
Buildings and homes destroyed, several deaths.
[STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images]
The UK Drought of 1976
Spring and Summer, 1976, Britain.
Persistent lack of rainfall.
Lack of available water, death of tress, extreme high temperatures during summer.
[Evening Standard/Getty Images]