atmospheric rivers

At www.scientificamerican.com/article/atmospheric-rivers-california-megaflo… … we have a story that has been around the blogosphere all week – with lots of mirth aimed at the California governor and his self proclaimed CAGW inspired drought of epic proportions. However, this link is not about climate change and political shenanigins but about flooding events that dwarf what has occurred in California this week. These apparently have struck the region on and off for centuries – as far as geological evidence is concerned. However, back in the 19th century there is a record of a really big atmospheric river of water (brought to the coast by a storm not unlike the modern version, but many more times more dramatic). In 1861-2 so much water fell on California that the interior looked like an inland sea as rivers overflowed and flooded extensive areas of low ground. It struck after a reputed 20 year drought (dwarfing the life of the modern drought). Some 61 inches of rain fell which is around 4 times the normal average. It seems there is geological evidence such super flooding events have occurred many times in the past which appears to contradict the alarmist hype. It won't shut them up of course – one cannot breach a closed mind.