World's Weather Gone WILD!

Rain, Rain and ever more where that came from, is Asia's lament. Germany paddled through record rain this May while England is still drying out from its worst ever torrential downpours and massive flooding. Pakistan is bracing for "calamity hit"weather caused by the latest monsoon/cyclone complicated by an inclement political storm jeopardizing President Musharraf's hold on power. Japan took a direct hit from a typhoon last week without casualties. Taiwan is bracing for Tropical Storm Pabuk, while hundreds have died in China and millions sought shelter on higher ground. Dust bowls and drought are dominating Kenya's weather, though lately there was a modicum of rain in sub-Saharan Africa.

The weather panoply includes a F2 tornado in Brooklyn, New York, killer heat in Georgia, warnings and unbearable sweltering humidity on the USA's eastern seaboard. Melting ice flows are endangering Canada's ability to map the seabed to provide proof for their claim of territorial jurisdiction to the UN are just a few weather stories.

United Nations' World Meteorological Organization declared more violent weather to come in the remaining 5 months of 2007 and the worst is not over. Tangible and intangible economic costs will continue to climb as tourism, business production and government aid are affected the world over.

Larger global implications are debated as Earth continues to warm and climate changes adversely impact food supplies, dense population centers and fresh water. Most people check the weather for their local area of concern. It is past time to fully appreciate what the global weather report looks like for all to see. Environmental devastation from erosion leaves wetlands and historic shorelines vulnerable, more deforestation in the Amazon would produce more rain and the spread of disease increases with emergency evacuations due to severe weather.

Knowledge about the world's weather and overall patterns are found in a range of terrific books that delve into the details and political debate on Global Warming resulting from Climate Change. Australia's Tim Flannery offers The Weather Makers: History and Future Impact of Climate Change with much more at his site. USA scientist, Chris Mooney authored Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle over Global Warming. Canadian writer Guy Dauncey penned Stormy Weather:101 Solutions to Global Climate Change. Floods, Droughts and Climate Change by Michael Collier is new at Powell's.