# The Coming Global Superstorm **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 1999, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485 "1999-12-16T07:22:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![theuglytruth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@theuglytruth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theuglytruth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 1999, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/1 "1999-12-16T07:22:00Z")
This is the title of a new book by Art Bell and Wesley Scheiber or something. I think that Art Bell is a con artist who preys on the fears of people, and I refuse to pay 25 bones to read this rag. Nonetheless, intrigued, I checked out his website. Without giving any substantial details, the site teases by postualting that due the global warming, the ice cap will melt, and that the Gulf Stream will stop flowing. This will allow an Arctic blizzard of apocalyptic proprtions to blitzkrieg southward and wipeout Europe, putting that continent back in the ice age. OK, sure Art. Nonetheless, I am intrigued. Has anyone read the book? What is the exact theory? Is there any basis for it? I’m going to England for my honeymoon, and -70 degree temperatures and 100 feet of snow might put a damper on my plans. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 1999, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/2 "1999-12-16T08:24:00Z")
There was an article by William H Calvin about this in the Atlantic Monthly (Dec '98): [http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/98jan/climate.htm](http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/98jan/climate.htm) * * * “Kiu frenezas? Cxu la mondo aux mi?” -Persone ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 1999, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/3 "1999-12-16T14:12:00Z")
Just read in Time that they think there IS global warming,causing all sorts of problems. ---
**Author:** ![Jois](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jois](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jois)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 1999, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/4 "1999-12-16T14:37:00Z")
\I’m going to England for my honeymoon, and -70 degree temperatures and 100 feet of snow might put a damper on my plans.\ But you have lots and lots of time to save up for snowboots and warm jackets. * * * Oh, I’m gonna keep using these #%@&\* codes 'til I get 'em right. ---
**Author:** ![melanietarrant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@melanietarrant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melanietarrant)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 1999, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/5 "1999-12-16T15:13:00Z")
i think the first time i heard that was back in the '70’s my father swears it’s true. he says something about the average temperature only has to decrease maybe 5 or 10 degrees and that would cause a second ice age this is his idea, not mine…frankly i disagree but here goes global warming is going to cause the polar ice caps to melt(just a little) this will cause the ocean temperature to drop dramatically the cold ocean water will reduce world wide air temperature with air temperature reduced, snow and ice won’t melt, glaciers will form and begin to drift southward into europe and north america that is his theory as i remember it. i may have it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 1999, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/6 "1999-12-16T17:11:00Z")
Cecil debunked this theory a while back with the fear generated by that lame book Ice: 5/5/2000 (at least I think that was the title. Same stupid predictions and same unscientific methods to their reasoning. Except I think they add in a Waterworld style component where the increased ice melt raises the seas and everyone in Utah suddenly gets beach front property. Pretty lame if you ask me. They pick 5/5/2000 because it is the date where some large number (possible all of the planets?) will align, which as we know from ALL kook theories is somehow supposed to reverse the poles, cause diet sodas to become regular and vice versa ---
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 1999, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/7 "1999-12-16T17:41:00Z")
> [@](#): > > and I refuse to pay 25 bones to read this rag. Art says that you can order his book through Amazon for a mere $16.73 ---
**Author:** ![theuglytruth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@theuglytruth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theuglytruth)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 1999, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/8 "1999-12-17T06:50:00Z")
When Art kicks his rag down to 5 clams . . .I STILL WONT BUY IT!!! 5-5-2000 . . yeah right. I remember in 1984 or something when the planets aligned. I still had to go to school and my father still had to go to work. But thanks for the Atlantic link, Sun. It made for a terrific read, and pretty much helped answer my question!!! [http://pwbts.com](http://pwbts.com) * * * [http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/parliament/1685/](http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/parliament/1685/) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 1999, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/9 "1999-12-17T12:01:00Z")
Guess what folks? If the world ends we’re all gonna die! But if it doesn’t, we’re all gonna carry on like usual! So what are we worrying about anyway? Why do people breed this ridiculous pointless paranoia? And like Whitley Streiber is in any way credible. _(I guess that’s who you meant, anyway)_ * * * -PIGEONMAN- Hero For A New Millennium! [The Legend Of PigeonMan](http://www.hotkey.net.au/~guanolad/pigeonman/) - updates every Wed & Sat. If I can be bothered. ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 1999, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/10 "1999-12-18T03:09:00Z")
Well, i do know that the gulf stream is what keeps northern Europe from looking like the tundra. It’s why in Torquay in the UK they can grow all those lovely palms and cordylenes outside :). But, I seriously doubt that theory of Arts. I remember he used to live here in Monterey in the 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 1999, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/11 "1999-12-19T02:58:00Z")
I may be off a bit on this theory, but I think that as long as the sun warms the water near the equator to a temperature greater than the water near the poles, and the earth keeps on spinning, then there’s always going to be a Gulf Stream—considering that continental drift doesn’t rearrange terra firma to such a degree that geography gets in the way. ---
**Author:** ![APB9999](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB9999](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB9999)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/12 "1999-12-20T23:26:00Z")
Actually, as I recall, the Gulf Stream depends for its existence on the fact of the Americas existing; more specifically, Central America. If the isthmus of Panama were removed, the ocean currents would certainly change in the Gulf of Mexico, and I believe the GS would go to that great Sargasso Sea in the sky. Perhaps we have a geologist who could elaborate? If true, the idea that a rising sea would do in the GS is not so crazy. What exactly is the highest elevation the seas would have to rise to, in order to connect the Atlantic and Pacific? ---
**Author:** ![APB9999](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB9999](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB9999)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 1999, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/13 "1999-12-20T23:32:00Z")
P.S. I know Art Bell is crazy, please don’t feel obliged to scoff as if I were swallowing his book, which I haven’t read. ---
**Author:** ![Doctordec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Doctordec](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctordec)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 1999, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/14 "1999-12-21T02:45:00Z")
Ya know, it’s talk like this that makes me think it’s time to get the hell off this dying planet and head for Mars ! We’re doomed as a race if we stay here. Who’s Art Bell ? * * * “Hope is not a method” ---
**Author:** ![tenspeedjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenspeedjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenspeedjohn)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 1999, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coming-global-superstorm/5485/15 "1999-12-22T10:26:00Z")
Art Bell isn’t crazy. He makes a good living doing what he likes to do. It’s the people who buy into his BS that are crazy. There are many people making a living from the paranoia of others. I’m formulating my plans now.