Climate Denial Crock of the Week

Jennifer Francis called it in the days leading up to this weekend’s disastrous Kentucky flooding. Although the science is still very much in process, there seem to be increasing incidences of weather extremes tied to “stuck” or slow jet stream activity.
A slower jet stream is believed to be connected to climate change, possibly a side effect of the loss of arctic sea ice.

Whatever the mechanism, this week’s events in the Pacific Northwest, and across the Midwest, from Missouri to Kentucky, are examples of what we expect to see more of as the era of “no normal” evolves.

NPR:

As parts of Kentucky continue to assess the damage from the past week’s floods, Gov. Andy Beshear is warning residents of more rain and potential flooding to come through Monday morning. 

“Next couple days are going to be hard,” Beshear said in a statement posted to YouTube. “We’ve got rain and maybe even a lot of rain that’s going to hit the same areas. Please pray for the people in these areas. And if you are in the areas that are going to get hit by rain, make sure you stay safe. Make sure you have a place that is higher ground. Go to a shelter. Just please, please be safe.” 

At least 28 people have been killed as a result of the flooding, but that number is most certainly higher. Beshear noted that officials are aware of additional bodies being recovered, but until they can confirm those deaths they are not including them in the total number of casualties. 

The areas of eastern Kentucky where a lot of flooding occurred are hilly and mountainous, making it more difficult and time-consuming for rescue crews to get to and look through the damage. Beshear said it could be several weeks before all the victims are found and the death toll is finalized.