flood watch

[PS_RalphW]

I was at the Albert Hall a couple of days ago. Walking back to the tube station I have never seen so many Ferraris and Teslas (not the cheap model 3 of course). Place was a lot cleaner than I remember it as a student at Imperial College 40 years ago.

[adam2]

"once in a hundred years" floods strike Vancouver.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-59314791

Several feared dead in vehicles swept away by landslides.
Highways shut due to flood damage.
Rail services from the port shut down, possible shortages of food and other supplies.
Fuel pipelines shut down, possible shortages to result.

[kenneal - lagger]

Record heat wave earlier this year and now record floods! Couldn't be something to do with climate change or global warming could it?? I suppose it might just be local weather in BC!

[clv101]

Quite incredible, won't be fixed this side of winter. Some folk are going to have an awful time:

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021 ... -columbia/

[kenneal - lagger]

Perhaps the Canadians should pay for the repair of the damage with a tax on oil companies. That would be the sensible option but as the oilcos wouldn't like it it is doubtful that it will be implemented.

[BritDownUnder]

It has been reasonably wet in Australia too in recent weeks. Many years ago I got to visit Vancouver with a view to emigrating there. Due to my lack of suitable job skills at the time I didn't go, but I found it a reasonably pleasant, if pricey place, and very wet normally. The Fraser river flowing past Vancouver is an enormous river anyway.

I like the idea of a tax on oil companies but a tax on oil products at final use and industrial products derived from or made from the energy in fossil fuels may be easier to collect as most oil companies would immediately run to a low tax jurisdiction at the slightest hint of higher taxes on profits. After all they have taxes on oil to repair roads so why not taxes on oil, and fossil produced goods to repair the planet. It would be better to use these taxes on local projects rather than giving it all away as foreign aid.

[Mark]

I like the idea of a tax on oil companies but a tax on oil products at final use and industrial products derived from or made from the energy in fossil fuels may be easier to collect as most oil companies would immediately run to a low tax jurisdiction at the slightest hint of higher taxes on profits. After all they have taxes on oil to repair roads so why not taxes on oil, and fossil produced goods to repair the planet.

Shell plans to move headquarters to the UK:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59288593

They seem to believe they'll pay lower taxes here ?
& be more protected from climate laws and litigation ?

[BritDownUnder]

I thought the "Dutch Sandwich" was a tax saving means for companies. Maybe Shell are more worried about the EU legislation.

[adam2]

Rather doomerish report on the news tonight. It was reported that unusually wet weather is expected in late Autumn and winter, with consequent increased flood risk.

Not certain if there is any scientific basis for this, or if it is a slow news day.

17-00 news on channel five 23/11/2021.

[kenneal - lagger]

Most of the Red Tops have been saying that there's going to be a lot of very cold weather and snow for the end of November and beginning of December. Apparently there's a clash of ideas between the Met Office and another forecaster over how cold it will get.

[adam2]

The daily express is known for headlines forecasting extreme weather. "killer storms on the way" "coldest weather for XX years expected" and "new extreme heatwave warning"

[clv101]

Best weather advice is to completely, utterly ignore anything a tabloid newspaper ever prints.

The indisputably best short term forecast for UK is the Met Office. If you want the week ahead, good to compliment Met Office with the ECMWF and GFS models.

For seasonal forecasts, take with a huge grain of salt as whilst there is skill demonstrated at the 2-3 month window there is also significant chance things will turn out very differently. The Met Office most recent seasonal forecast (25th Oct for Nov-Dec-Jan) says half the normal chance of being 'cold' (bottom quintile) and a 2.3x chance of being mild (top quintile). Regarding precipitation, it is mostly likely to be 'normal' with a 1.5x chance of being wet.

Also remember, even totally 'normal' seasons can have extremes. Just this spring May was exceptionally wet after an exceptionally dry April.

[adam2]

Malaysia hit by "worst floods in decades" With significant loss of life.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-59749146

[adam2]

Various flood warnings in place as storm Franklin brings heavy rain.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-s ... e-60475077

River Severn at Shrewsbury is expected to reach its highest ever level.

[adam2]

Severe flooding in Australia has resulted in the loss of several lives and the widespread destruction of property.
To be a declared a national emergency.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-60672065

Would probably be more widely reported, but for Ukraine.