New York City is the New Baltimore

A couple of articles related to global warming got my attention recently. First, the Washington Post had an article about plant species common to North Carolina now finding their homes in the District of Columbia and environs. The article quotes the curator of the United States Botanical Garden as saying, “You could say D.C. is the new North Carolina.” The article included a map (at right) that shows how the true that statement is.

So I guess that makes New York City the new Baltimore, right? Temperatures this December (and throughout hot last January) are really high. The Observer had a droll article highlighting the disconnect between the alarming climate change reports coming out in increasing numbers, and the bubble-headed weather reporters who joke about the heat but don’t bother to report on the big picture.

“If the line extends out the door, no problem!” said a glowing Ms. Puente. “Because the temperatures will be nice and comfortable for everyone waiting on those lines, whether it’s at a store or the post office today!”

Global warming may be turning the earth into a shriveled, flooded, lifeless swamp faster than Al Gore can jet around the country trying to stop it. But then also, the sun is shining; the skies are clear.

It turns out the best of the weathermen is ABC’s Sam Champion, who traveled to Iceland to interview locals about shrinking glaciers. Here in New York, the temperatures are getting so ridiculous that the nature of the holiday shopping season is changing. Crain’s reported that the warm weather has encouraged shoppers to hit the streets, but has hurt sales of winter clothing. The article is behind a paywall, so I’ll quote the relevant portion:

Warmer weather held off the snowstorms that interrupted holiday shopping last year … [but] With temperatures in the mid-50s and forecasters not predicting a cold snap, sweaters and coats are sitting on shelves instead of being folded into shopping bags at stores like Bloomingdale’s and Ann Taylor.

Snowstorms? I’m sorry, what was that word again? I’m not familiar with the concept.