This is what climate change looks like
One of the largest winter storms since the 1950s has hit 30 U.S. states from New Mexico to Maine and now into central and eastern Canada — +100 million people affected, hundreds of thousands without power. Chicago could get buried by more than 60 centimeters (2-ft) of snow — hundreds stranded already.
Climate change is certainly playing a role in this massive storm.
1. Warmer global temps means there is now four per cent more water vapour in the atmosphere which means heavier snowfalls.
2. There is also more energy in the climate system which makes storms more powerful.
3. Finally the melting of the Arctic sea ice is changing wind patterns in the polar regions bring colder, wetter winters to the eastern US and western Europe scientists told me several months ago. (See my previous post East Coast Blizzard and Europe’s Snowmaggddon Reveal Fingerprints of Climate Change
Climate change loads the dice in favour of extreme events.
My latest article on this The Yin and Yang of Climate Extremes We Will See More of. — Stephen
Recent related articles:
Climate Change Could Be Worsening Effects of El Niño, La Niña
Stephen Leahy, International Environmental Journalist 
we are reeling in southern New England from snow and ice- 80″ in the month of January alone
roof cave ins,water damage, transportation problems- I have never seen this kind of unrelenting weather event in my life living here.
Yes, its a fossil fuel disaster- here in Connecticut at ground zero.
80 inches is astonishing and I live in Canada! Peter, I am sorry to hear about the damage.
Australia has imposed a levy on all citizens to help cover the cost of the flooding two weeks ago. Now with Cat 5 Cyclone Yasi that levy has a good chance of becoming a permanent tax to cover current and future climate-related disasters.
No doubt Conn could benefit from something similar – insurance companies aren’t going to take the financial hit for long.