Extra Credit Seven: Inside the Megastorm

                One cannot fully understand a natural disaster until they witness the devastation that can come about because of it. For many, including myself, this storm was Hurricane Sandy. Many people did not heed the warnings from meteorologists because the severity of the storm was thought, by some, to be an exaggeration. It was not, however, and Sandy will be remembered forever for the damage it brought and how it essentially shut down New York City, "the city that never sleeps."

                Over eight days before the storm hit the northeast, only one prediction center forecasted the event to occur the way that it actually unfolded. In Europe, one model forecasted the storm to essentially make a left turn from the Atlantic and hit land. As the storm made  its way through the Caribbean and up the coast, that is exactly what it did. In combination with higher than normal sea surface temperatures of the Atlantic, which fueled the hurricane, and the warm Gulf Stream, which also added energy, the storm grew as it made its way up north. It also combined with a nor'easter type storm and intensified. What made the storm so dangerous, though, was the fact that it was going to hit land during the high tide, and this particular high tide on a full moon, which makes high tides even higher. Because of the storm's location, the direction of the winds added to the already immense storm surge that was going to occur in New York City, Long Island, and the New Jersey shoreline.

                For the first time since 9/11, the New York Stock Exchange actually closed for two days. New York City Transit shut down buses and subways and the subway systems were closed for days after the storm because of flooding (some of which were closed for weeks). Over 100 people died in the northeast due to the storm.

                In the argument of climate change, this storm was definitely a strong indicator of our changing world. Climatologists are saying that increasing global temperatures will lead to fewer, but more intense hurricanes. With rising sea levels, the storm surges will become more destructive if average sea level is constantly raising. With most of New York City at sea level, what will this force politicians to do? With Sandy as a prevalent example, politicians should pay more attention to environmental issues that are ultimately changing our climate at much faster rates than ever before.

                I had a difficult time watching this NOVA documentary. Being from Staten Island, I saw much of the destruction when I was home for Thanksgiving break. The interview from Neil Filipowitz, who lost his brother and nephew to Sandy, really hit home for me. I have stood on the street that his relatives died on. I was on that street the day I returned home. My brother actually knew them personally. In that neighborhood and those surrounding it, I saw so many houses destroyed, roofs taken off of their walls, and foundations of homes essentially crumbled. In my opinion, the news did absolutely no justice for Staten Island, because I didn't realize how bad the devastation was until I saw it for myself, and that was already after three weeks of initial clean-up. 

"Inside the Megastorm." NOVA. PBS, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/inside-the-megastorm.html>.