As if we needed more convincing that the melting Arctic sea ice will create havoc on the world’s coasts, scientists from Rutgers and Cornell have found a link between the melting icepack and the unusual westward path of Hurricane Sandy last October.
Sandy did not spin harmlessly out to sea like most late-fall hurricanes. Instead, it hurtled abruptly towards the tri-state area, flooding the coastlines of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Now the researchers say they know why: The Arctic melt sent a cold, high-pressure air mass south toward the warm, low-pressure storm, blocking the hurricane’s movement out to sea and forcing it toward shore.
Scary stuff, especially for those of us living at sea level. Read my full story here.