Coby- Week 12, Floods and landslides in the Pacific Northwest

    ^Category 5 Atmospheric River (estimated 10 inches of rain)

    For the past week, the Pacific Northwest has been experiencing substantial amounts of rain causing flooding and landslides. The recent rain events (commonly known as the Atmospheric River) have caused several road/highway closures and cancelations of commuter trains in Washington and Oregon. Many cities in the Pacific Northwest are reaching record amounts of rain (According to the National Weather Service, there was 1.70 inches of rain in Olympia and 1.34 inches of rain in Seattle by 11am on Tuesday), making it the wettest start of the year. Due to large waves during a king tide and debris (including logs), Sunset Boulevard in Seaside, Oregon was forced to close. On Tuesday, The Washington state Department of Transportation reported a landslide that blocked some lanes on US 101 west of Olympia near Artic. Fortunately, crew workers were able to clear the area by the end of the day. Many flood warnings have also been issued in many cities throughout Oregon and Washington earlier in the week. 

    In my opinion, these are the effects of climate change. Unfortunately, it's become a norm to see natural disasters records being broken, such as the largest wildfires ever in Colorado and the most hurricanes in one season! I feel that this is our largest issue in our world, and many individuals underestimate the drastic effects global warming has on our planet. Normal daily activities people perform such as driving, burning fossil fuels, flying, and factory work harms our home, and it's time we do something about it. By doing simple tasks like putting your water bottle in the recycling bin rather than a trash can and turning your car off when just sitting around in a parking lot, you can make a change. What are your thoughts on climate change? Do you think it's a major issue that needs to be addressed immediately, or do you believe that it can wait because it's not so important?

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2021-01-12/atmospheric-river-brings-threat-of-floods-landslides