Correlation does not imply causation. If sudden outbursts of radiation caused giant storms, one would think that we would have had a massive number of unusually large storms beginning in the 1950s and continuing until the Atmospheric Test Ban. To the best of my knowledge, we didn't.

True. I didn't think it CAUSED the storm. Just seems pretty big. I know large storms in the pacific are somewhat common, but I don't recall ever hearing of hurricane type storms on the west coast. It doesn't appear to have hurricane wind speeds though. And it appears to be going towards Alaska/Canada.

http://www.intellicast.com/Storm/Hur...x?animate=true

Tropical Storm Nora was the last one to hit California.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Nora_%281997%29

The only thing coming out of the plants right now is a bit of radioactive steam, as well as radiation particles from who knows where (probably unit 3, I guess). Any weather that forms over the ocean is coincidental.

Also, just about every scientist on the planet is saying that Californians are nuts to worry about Japan, but it would be nice to quantify why. I heard one professor throw out a rule of thumb that whatever happens a mile or two east of the reactor, take that number and divide it by a billion and thats probably the worst case scenario for the west coast.

To grab one unlikely example out of thin air, a reading of 1,000 mSv/hour a couple miles east of the reactor would be an incredible, life-threatening, and horrifyingly high number. I don't think we saw that much radiation from a spot a couple miles away from Chernobyl right after it blew (more like 10 instead of 1,000), but what the hell, lets go with it. That divided by a billion is 1 nanoseivert/hr. We may or may not even be able to measure that small of an amount, and you'll certainly get far more than that even if you do nothing but wake up, watch TV all day, never leave the house, eat, and go back to sleep.

In about 8 1/2 months. 12 months after that will be 2013. :eek:

I know you meant this in terms of radioactivity but this geologist says the entire Ring of Fire is following a clockwise pattern in earthquakes which means a high probability a big one is heading for our west coast. This plus strange patterns with fish and animals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQXDt...mbedded#at=235

California is definitely overdue for a massive quake, even bigger than the Northridge quake in 1994. The good news is that most of the San Andreas fault is on land except a bit in northern CA, so there's little (but not zero) chance of a horrible tsunami in the most populated areas of the coast.

If anyone should worry about a rare monster tsunami, it should probably be Oregon and Washington, since the fault line leaves land and extends into the ocean up there, but that fault very rarely does much.

OMG!

WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE LET US KNOW ABOUT THIS SOONER????!!!!
Posted via Mobile Device

its friiday friiiday, nuclear reaction for the weeeeekend!

We-we-we so excited
We so excited
acid rain and fallout comes after...wards
I don’t want this weekend to end

HOLY CRAP!!!!! ANYONE GOT A SPARE BEDROOM? I NEED TO FLEE, NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I might be able to clear a space for you. :thumb:
Posted via Mobile Device

Alnorth is happy.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...72H6IZ20110318

Title of article:
Special Report: Radiation fears may be greatly exaggerated

eh, honestly I'm a little more concerned now for Japan's sake (but probably less than most) than I was a couple days ago when I went on a long multi-post rant. Those dry pools with spent fuel rods could do some serious damage if they begin to burn.

I'm also not necessarily in favor of nuclear power plants in the USA because coal and gas are cheaper and we've got plenty of both. (In Japan they have little choice, they have no natural resources and would have to import it all) I'd just rather criticize nuclear power for the correct reasons (too damned expensive, don't care about global warming) than for safety.

I have been hearing more and more that the Cascadia Subduction Zone is overdue for a quake. If (when) it goes, the northwest is pretty screwed. Sorry Dan.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index..._sooner_t.html