# Sorry, But Sandy is "The New Normal" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 1, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565 "2012-11-01T15:09:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Troutsqueezer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Troutsqueezer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troutsqueezer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/1 "2012-11-01T15:09:33Z")
It must be true because that’s what Al Roker said this morning on “Today”. So, East Coasters, you had better get used to it because we all know that Roker is a weather genius. Either that or he’s a complete idiot. :smack: Don’t bother fixing those fences or re-planting those trees or even replacing windows. Just nail up some plywood, paint it to match the house, stock up on gasoline and invest your money in Coleman stock. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/2 "2012-11-01T15:14:10Z")
Even if that premise is true, your conclusion doesn’t follow. Hard to get behind this without an actual quote and some context. And I’d be very surprised if your conclusion was the intended take-away. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/3 "2012-11-01T15:27:00Z")
From the [USGS](http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3256&from=rss_home#.UJKT72fhcfa) > [@](#): > > Though global sea level has been projected to rise roughly two-to-three feet or more by the end of the 21st century, it will not climb at the same rate at every location. Differences in land movements, strength of ocean currents, water temperatures, and salinity can cause regional and local highs and lows in sea level. > > “Cities in the hotspot, like Norfolk, New York, and Boston already experience damaging floods during relatively low intensity storms,” said Dr. Asbury (Abby) Sallenger, USGS oceanographer and project lead. “Ongoing accelerated sea level rise in the hotspot will make coastal cities and surrounding areas increasingly vulnerable to flooding by adding to the height that storm surge and breaking waves reach on the coast.” with the actual paper found here - [Browse Articles | Nature Climate Change](http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1597.html) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/4 "2012-11-01T15:30:00Z")
Sure this is the second year in a row that the Northeast has suffered a lot of damage from a huge hurricane, but that doesn’t mean it’ll ever happen again! You shut up, Al Roker! Take your knowledge of climatology and weather and your heathen global warming and go to hell! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/5 "2012-11-01T16:00:34Z")
Like the big bang, evolution, embryology, and set theory, climatology is simply another lie from the pit of hell. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/6 "2012-11-01T16:05:31Z")
Al Roker said not to bother replacing windows or fixing fences? Wow, anyone who’d say that sounds like a complete fucking idiot. He must be really embarrassed to have suggested something so utterly moronic, and if he has any shame probably wants to just go be by himself for a while and contemplate all the wrong turns he made in his life that led him to be such a hopeless dimwit. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/7 "2012-11-01T16:10:20Z")
Cities only get flooded if it’s a legitimate hurricane. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/8 "2012-11-01T16:10:21Z")
Yeah. It’s funny how when we get 3 days of -30 degree temperatures no one ever mentions that “this is the new norm.” It’s always the new norm during heat spells or dry spells, but never for cold or rainy weather. We’ve had storms before. We’ve had drought before. We’ve had EVERYTHING before and will continue to. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/9 "2012-11-01T16:18:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Cities only get flooded if it’s a legitimate hurricane. It’s true. If it’s a legitimate hurricane, the city has ways to try to shut that whole thing down ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/10 "2012-11-01T16:38:21Z")
Are we sure Roker wasn’t just saying it would take a few weeks for the flooding to dissipate and so on? ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/11 "2012-11-01T16:40:17Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yeah. It’s funny how when we get 3 days of -30 degree temperatures no one ever mentions that “this is the new norm.” It’s always the new norm during heat spells or dry spells, but never for cold or rainy weather. We’ve had storms before. We’ve had drought before. We’ve had EVERYTHING before and will continue to. Forever and ever, unto eternity, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/12 "2012-11-01T16:40:21Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Like the big bang, evolution, embryology, and set theory, climatology is simply another lie from the pit of hell. Wait, since when does the Right hate set theory? I honestly don’t remember that one. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/13 "2012-11-01T16:41:35Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yeah. It’s funny how when we get 3 days of -30 degree temperatures no one ever mentions that “this is the new norm.” It’s always the new norm during heat spells or dry spells, but never for cold or rainy weather. We’ve had storms before. We’ve had drought before. We’ve had EVERYTHING before and will continue to. Well I don’t think anyone is arguing otherwise. What is being argued is that the equilibrium point around which these events take place is shifting to a level where existing infrastructure is unprepared to deal with the resulting outliers. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/14 "2012-11-01T16:43:59Z")
> [@Grey](#): > > Well I don’t think anyone is arguing otherwise. What is being argued is that the equilibrium point around which these events take place is shifting to a level where existing infrastructure is unprepared to deal with the resulting outliers. You speak big words not good. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/15 "2012-11-01T16:49:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You speak big words not good. I think he said “it’s getting worse.” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/16 "2012-11-01T16:52:16Z")
I think he means we are on a rusty see-saw. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/17 "2012-11-01T16:52:24Z")
Burn the witch! ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/18 "2012-11-01T16:52:34Z")
Right. Sorry, I’ll dumb it down - “welcome to the new normal” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/19 "2012-11-01T17:25:53Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Wait, since when does the Right hate set theory? I honestly don’t remember that one. > **[What do Christian fundamentalists have against set theory?](https://boingboing.net/2012/08/07/what-do-christian-fundamentali.html)** > > I've mentioned here before that I went to fundamentalist Christian schools from grade 8 through grade 11. I learned high school biology from a Bob Jones University textbook, watched videos… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565/20 "2012-11-01T17:30:48Z")
Most people on the right think that set education should take place in the home, not at public schools. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-but-sandy-is-the-new-normal/639565.md?page=2)