Is Arizona's above normal rainfall this summer due to evil climate change caused by man?

Question

I'm an Arizona native, lived here my whole 43 years on this earth. This summer's rains have been much more than normal, in fact in the top 10 in the history of Arizona. Ever since I was a little tyke the summer rains have been above normal, below normal, and normal, it comes and goes. This year just feels like one of those above normal years, right on target with life here is dusty old Arizona where I live with my mouth breathing, knuckle dragging, fellow Arizonans.

Am I wrong? Is Arizona's above average rainfall caused by evil mankind driving cars and causing global climate change?

Answer 1

Maybe.

Maybe not.

I doubt that you will find any AGW proponent who will use one season in one place as an indicator of the theory.

AGW proponents tend to have a good grasp of the scientific method and supporting disciplines: None of them would be so crass as to think that one data point defines a trend.

On the other hand, of course, the fact that you have experienced abnormal - "changed" - weather is consistent with climate "change", it just doesn't prove it.

Answer 2

Keep in mind, that while you are having record amounts of rainfall, it has been one of the driest years that we have had here in Virginia and in many parts of the mid-atlantic and the southeast.

It is all a cycle. Some years you get more rain and some years you get less rain. Some years a warmer, and some are cooler.

It is hard to blame one summer of above average rain on climate change.

But with that said, what climate change does, is make the cycles more extreme. So when it is wetter, it more extreme than before.

El Nino is the perfect example. It is being enhanced by climate change and then it in turn causes more extremes in other cycles.

Answer 3

It is called the southwest monsoon in the spring and summer months has radically changed the general climate of southern California over the last 60 years from dry near desert to muggy sub tropical because of geologic changes in a ocean ridge extending from Baja California almost to Panama off the west coast. This ridge as it grows from earthquake activity and coral reef growth is altering some minor ocean currents altering the climate of large parts of North America!

Answer 4

I wonder, how often has Al Gore been in Arizona this year, the hot air and such spewing from Gore may explain things.

Blue collar for McCain

Answer 5

No, even though Al Gore would like you to think it is, the sky is not falling.  All just a "Gore-y" myth.  I'm not sure what the rainfall has been in Arizona this year, but when I was living at Yuma Proving Grounds, and if memory serves me correctly, I think rainfall was around 3" a year.  What is considered above normal?   In Ohio now, and our August has been extremely strange the last couple of weeks.  These are supposed to be the dog days of summer, with hot and humid temps in the 90's.  Its been in the 70's during the day, and nights down in the 50's at times.  I don't attribute this to global warming...I attribute it to just freaky weather.  They are saying we're going to have a bad winter though, and no matter how bad it gets, I can't make myself believe the global climate changes are due to driving our cars.