HOW'S THAT GLOBAL WARMING THING GOING?

According to Al Gore and a good part of the Democrats in Congress the sky is still falling. According to a growing number of the American Public, that sky is falling claim is questionable or just down-right wrong.

So here are some of the facts from AccuWeather, some areas of the USA may see little summer and total Lightning strikes are down.(Recent Upswing in Lightning)

As of June 3, 2009, there have been 5,589,686 flashes, with 6,517,381 reported by June 3, 2008.

As you may have guessed by the title of the AccuWeather piece, there has been an upswing in the number of people and planes struck by lightening.

So far, 2009 has been a deadly year for lightning strikes. Two people were killed last week, and another Monday, bringing the total number of lightning-related deaths to seven, with 50 injuries reported total. A Southwest Airlines plane was struck by lightning in California earlier last week. Is this trend of lightning strikes on people and airplanes abnormal this year? [Emphasis Mine]

And what's the answer to the question of abnormality?

On average, 60 people are killed and over 350 people are injured by lightning each year, with June, July and August the most common months for deaths. In 2008, 27 people were killed by lightning and 303 injured.

As for aircraft, 66 have reported lightning strikes so far this year. Last year, 55 reported lightning strikes to airplanes occurred through May.

The number of deaths and the number of airplanes hit does not seem out of the ordinary this year.

In summary, the number of Flashes is down, but the number of planes struck is higher than average. Apparently the statistical analysis of the lightening data is not out of line with the averages.

The lightening data is, however, a part of "Global Climate Change". Believe it or not, "Most Global Warming Skeptics" (including Me) agree that Temperatures and other atmospheric changes are taking place world wide. They just don't believe it will be a disaster for our planet. Rather it's a natural cycle of Planetary changes which has been happening since the Earth was formed. It has happened many times in the past and will happen in the future. That's why it's called Cycles.

As far as US Temperatures this year, the AccuWeather article also says the changes in Lightening patterns is related to the Temperatures.

One of the reasons for this [lightening activity change] could be colder-than-normal weather across the northern tier of the country that has suppressed the number of thunderstorms and has significantly reduced the number of tornadoes this year. The number of reported tornadoes so far this year is 685, just over half of the average annual amount, which is 1,297.

Specifically they state the Lightening pattern is due to changes in the Jet-Stream.

According to Long Range Expert Joe Bastardi, areas from the northern Plains into the Northeast will have a "year without a summer." The jet stream, which is suppressed abnormally south this spring, is also suppressing the number of thunderstorms that can form. The ones that do form in areas of the Ohio Valley and West are forming in places with very cold temperatures, which can lead to more electrified thunderstorms than normal this year.

what does this mean? My reaction is, we don't have enough data to accurately predict the future of "Global Climate Change". However, we do have sufficient data to say the "Inconvenient Truth" is that DRASTIC measures are not warranted.

While we accumulate more data, let us continue to institute any and all green changes which are economically possible, but don't institute DRASTIC, COSTLY, LIFESTYLE Legislation which will cause more harm than good. As much as we would like to believe it, it's just not factually supported that Mankind is a significant factor in Global Climate Change. First, do no harm, should be our motto.