bluewave

The long term average snowfall at Islip is 29” since 1963-1964 when the station was established. Maybe it would be closer to 30-32” if more frequent measurements were taken back in the earlier era like today. Would mostly show up in the heavier snowfall seasons when measurements were fewer allowing for more compaction. The range between high and low snowfall years has been increasing. Now we get more seasons under 15” like this one or over 40”. Fewer years near the middle of the distribution range. So perhaps warming introduces more volatility into the system leading to more all or nothing type seasons. Very tough to do seasonal snowfall outlooks in the fall with such an increase in variability. Under 15” and over 40” years bolded. Some older years near 40” bolded for under measurement 23 years from 93-94 to 22-23 9 years from 63-64 to 92-93 Monthly Total Snowfall for ISLIP-LI MACARTHUR AP, NY lick column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Year Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr Season Mean 0.0 0.5 4.4 9.2 9.2 4.9 0.8 29.0 2022-2023 0.0 0.0 0.4 T 3.0 1.6 M 5.0 2021-2022 0.0 T 0.3 31.8 3.3 1.6 0.0 37.0 2020-2021 T 0.0 7.5 1.1 24.9 T T 33.5 2019-2020 0.0 0.1 4.2 2.5 0.0 T T 6.8 2018-2019 0.0 4.3 T 0.9 3.5 4.1 T 12.8 2017-2018 0.0 T 6.0 22.0 1.4 31.9 4.6 65.9 2016-2017 T T 3.2 14.0 14.7 7.4 T 39.3 2015-2016 0.0 0.0 T 24.8 13.2 3.2 0.2 41.4 2014-2015 0.0 T 0.4 30.2 13.4 19.7 0.0 63.7 2013-2014 0.0 0.3 8.1 25.2 24.5 5.4 0.2 63.7 2012-2013 0.0 4.2 0.6 3.3 31.4 7.4 0.0 46.9 2011-2012 0.3 0.0 T 3.8 0.6 T 0.0 4.7 2010-2011 0.0 T 14.9 34.4 3.9 2.1 T 55.3 2009-2010 0.0 0.0 25.3 6.4 21.7 0.4 0.0 53.8 2008-2009 0.0 T 10.4 8.9 3.3 13.6 T 36.2 2007-2008 0.0 0.0 2.6 0.8 7.3 T 0.0 10.7 2006-2007 0.0 T 0.0 1.0 4.2 3.8 T 9.0 2005-2006 0.0 0.5 7.6 4.7 19.9 3.2 0.1 36.0 2004-2005 0.0 T 7.0 21.5 17.0 13.3 0.0 58.8 2003-2004 0.0 0.0 15.5 19.1 1.1 5.7 0.0 41.4 2002-2003 0.0 1.0 16.0 2.6 26.3 3.7 5.0 54.6 2001-2002 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.7 T T 0.0 3.7 2000-2001 T 0.0 10.8 9.2 8.6 10.3 T 38.9 1999-2000 0.0 T 0.4 5.8 2.6 0.2 T 9.0 1998-1999 0.0 0.0 3.0 4.5 2.8 9.1 T 19.4 1997-1998 0.0 T 1.0 T T 1.6 T 2.6 1996-1997 0.0 T 1.2 3.3 2.2 3.7 2.0 12.4 1995-1996 0.0 3.0 13.3 20.2 19.0 12.0 9.6 77.1 1994-1995 0.0 T T T 5.1 T 0.0 5.1 1993-1994 0.0 T 3.3 8.8 20.0 5.0 0.0 37.1 1992-1993 0.0 0.0 2.1 2.3 10.9 13.3 0.0 28.6 1991-1992 0.0 0.0 2.0 2.3 1.5 7.6 T 13.4 1990-1991 0.0 0.0 T 3.6 5.3 1.9 0.0 10.8 1989-1990 0.0 7.6 0.2 2.0 2.0 4.2 3.0 19.0 1988-1989 0.0 0.0 10.4 4.4 1.2 3.0 T 19.0 1987-1988 0.0 1.1 4.2 10.7 0.1 3.4 0.0 19.5 1986-1987 0.0 T 3.4 8.8 8.6 1.7 0.0 22.5 1985-1986 0.0 T 2.1 2.6 10.4 0.1 T 15.2 1984-1985 0.0 T 4.7 9.3 5.8 T T 19.8 1983-1984 0.0 T 2.6 11.9 T 8.2 0.0 22.7 1982-1983 0.0 0.0 3.2 1.5 26.1 T 1.1 31.9 1981-1982 0.0 0.0 1.0 18.1 0.3 T 16.0 35.4 1980-1981 0.0 T 0.5 13.2 T 7.1 0.0 20.8 1979-1980 T 0.0 1.5 4.0 1.5 2.0 0.0 9.0 1978-1979 0.0 4.0 T 6.9 17.2 T T 28.1 1977-1978 0.0 0.8 0.2 27.7 28.9 10.4 T 68.0 1976-1977 0.0 T 6.2 11.2 6.6 4.0 0.0 28.0 1975-1976 0.0 T 11.0 7.8 7.5 3.9 0.0 30.2 1974-1975 0.0 0.5 T 1.8 11.0 1.2 T 14.5 1973-1974 0.0 0.0 T 9.0 17.0 8.0 T 34.0 1972-1973 T 0.0 T 1.5 3.0 T T 4.5 1971-1972 0.0 T T 2.1 12.5 1.0 T 15.6 1970-1971 0.0 0.0 2.1 11.3 2.0 1.0 2.5 18.9 1969-1970 0.0 T 12.0 7.0 7.0 1.0 T 27.0 1968-1969 0.0 T 3.0 T 19.5 11.0 0.0 33.5 1967-1968 0.0 2.5 5.0 9.1 3.0 3.0 0.0 22.6 1966-1967 0.0 0.0 8.6 1.0 19.5 21.7 T 50.8 1965-1966 0.0 0.0 T 12.1 3.6 0.0 0.0 15.7 1964-1965 0.0 0.0 2.0 24.6 7.4 4.5 1.0 39.5 1963-1964 0.0 T 11.0 11.7 16.0 1.0 0.0 39.7

Yeah, the ENSO responses have been unusual recently.

Super El Niño precipitation amounts with a strong La Niña -PDO and -PNA. Breaking 1983 super El Niño records for snowpack in Utah. Close to super El Niño 1973, 1983, 1998 rain in San Francisco. Almost a super -PNA pattern since December. Time Series Summary for SAN FRANCISCO DOWNTOWN, CA Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Ending Date Total Precipitation Oct 1 to Mar 30 Missing Count 1 1862-03-30 47.73 0 2 1890-03-30 43.33 3 3 1998-03-30 39.76 0 4 1868-03-30 36.23 0 5 1878-03-30 33.93 0 6 1973-03-30 33.67 0 7 1983-03-30 33.50 0 8 1850-03-30 32.64 0 9 2023-03-30 32.30 1 10 1867-03-30 32.15 0

Blue hill did 121”in just over a month and 150” for the season. Maximum 33-Day Total Snowfall for BLUE HILL COOP, MA Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 121.0 2015-02-25 0 olumn heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. State Name Station Type Total Snowfall MA BLUE HILL LCD COOP 150.8 MA BLUE HILL COOP WBAN 150.8 MA KINGSTON 3.3 WNW CoCoRaHS 128.7 RI WEST GLOCESTER 3.4 SE CoCoRaHS 121.5 MA LOWELL COOP 120.6 MA WORCESTER REGIONAL AIRPORT WBAN 119.7 MA HINGHAM COOP 117.7 MA NEWBURYPORT COOP 117.0 MA SALISBURY 3.7 NW CoCoRaHS 116.9 MA HAVERHILL COOP 113.7 MA GROVELAND 0.5 WSW CoCoRaHS 113.6 MA GROVELAND COOP 112.6 MA ACTON 1.3 SW CoCoRaHS 111.1 MA BOSTON LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WBAN 110.6 MA WINTHROP 0.2 N CoCoRaHS 110.6

JFK missed the best banding. Data for December 26, 2010 through January 27, 2011 Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. State Name Station Type Total Snowfall NJ WESTFIELD 1.0 NE CoCoRaHS 70.1 NJ NEWARK LIBERTY INTL AP WBAN 61.5 NJ HARRISON COOP 60.2 CT DANBURY COOP 59.8 CT MILFORD 2.9 ESE CoCoRaHS 59.1 CT PORTLAND 0.9 S CoCoRaHS 59.0 CT BROOKFIELD 3.3 SSE CoCoRaHS 59.0 NJ CRANFORD COOP 57.3 NJ TENAFLY 1.3 W CoCoRaHS 57.0 NY CENTERPORT COOP 55.3 CT ANSONIA 1 NE COOP 55.0 NJ SADDLE BROOK TWP 0.6 E CoCoRaHS 54.6 CT IGOR I SIKORSKY MEMORIAL AIRPORT WBAN 53.8 CT BRIDGEPORT-SUCCESS HILL COOP 53.8 NY MINEOLA COOP 53.0 NJ LITTLE FALLS TWP 0.5 WNW CoCoRaHS 52.6 NJ GLEN ROCK 0.7 SSE CoCoRaHS 51.8 NY BRONX COOP 51.3 NJ HAWTHORNE 0.4 S CoCoRaHS 51.1 NJ HAWTHORNE 1.0 SSE CoCoRaHS 50.4 NY CORNWALL ON HUDSON 0.6 NNW CoCoRaHS 50.1 NY BAITING HOLLOW COOP 48.6 NY ISLIP-LI MACARTHUR AP WBAN 48.4 NY MOUNT SINAI COOP 48.3 NY CARMEL 4N COOP 48.1 NJ RINGWOOD COOP 48.0 NJ WANAQUE 0.6 S CoCoRaHS 47.7 NY BEACON 4.2 ESE CoCoRaHS 46.0 NY LAGUARDIA AIRPORT WBAN 45.8 NY SOUTH SALEM 2.1 NW CoCoRaHS 45.8 NY NORTHPORT 1.6 NNE CoCoRaHS 45.5 NY NY CITY CENTRAL PARK WBAN 45.3 NY YORKTOWN HEIGHTS 1W COOP 45.0 NY WALDEN 1 ESE COOP 44.5 CT DANBURY 0.5 W CoCoRaHS 44.4 NY YORKTOWN HEIGHTS 0.6 SW CoCoRaHS 44.0 CT EAST HAMPTON 0.6 NE CoCoRaHS 43.0 NY DOBBS FERRY-ARDSLEY COOP 43.0 NY WEST POINT COOP 42.3 NY RIVERHEAD RESEARCH FARM COOP 42.0 NJ OAKLAND 0.9 SSE CoCoRaHS 41.8 NY JAMESPORT 0.6 SSW CoCoRaHS 41.0 NJ KEARNY 1.7 NW CoCoRaHS 40.8 NY ISLIP 0.2 NW CoCoRaHS 40.7 NY WANTAGH CEDAR CREEK COOP 39.5 NY WARWICK 3.2 WNW CoCoRaHS 38.0 CT GROTON COOP 37.6 NY JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WBAN 37.2 CT Maximum 33-Day Total Snowfall JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NY Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 42.1 1961-02-16 0

Thanks very much. I wasn’t on the board for a while either. So I started posting more personal stuff when I was seeing where is bluewave posts. I always get concerned when posters I have grown to like over the years stop posting. So just wanted to keep board updated.

As impressive as our local snowfall records were during the 2010s, we never was able to match the back to back snowstorms in Baltimore during February 2010 an Boston from late January into February 2015. The closest we came was in Late December 2010 to late January 2011. But there was a little more separation between storms. So we beat Baltimore on the 33 day snowfall challenge. It was no match for Boston which was able to beat Buffalo. Maximum 33-Day Total Snowfall for NEWARK LIBERTY INTL AP, NJ Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 61.5 2011-01-27 0 33-Day Total Snowfall for Baltimore Area, MD (ThreadEx) Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 55.0 2010-03-03 0 Maximum 33-Day Total Snowfall for Boston Area, MA (ThreadEx) Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 96.3 2015-02-25 0 33-Day Total Snowfall for Buffalo Area, NY (ThreadEx) Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 89.4 2002-01-25 0

Baltimore and Philly beat Boston in the snowiest 7 day challenge by a few inches. Maximum 7-Day Total Snowfall for Baltimore Area, MD (ThreadEx) Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 44.5 2010-02-11 0 Go Maximum 7-Day Total Snowfall for Philadelphia Area, PA (ThreadEx) Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 44.3 2010-02-11 0 Maximum 7-Day Total Snowfall for Boston Area, MA (ThreadEx) Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Rank Value Ending Date Missing Days 1 40.5 2015-02-02 0

Over 30” or under 15” has become the new normal on Long Island since 2000. I have no idea how to do a seasonal snowfall forecast ahead of time with such volatility. Time Series Summary for ISLIP-LI MACARTHUR AP, NY - Oct through Sep Click column heading to sort ascending, click again to sort descending. Season Total Snowfall Missing Count 2022-2023 5.0 186 2021-2022 37.0 0 2020-2021 33.5 0 2019-2020 6.8 0 2018-2019 12.8 0 2017-2018 65.9 0 2016-2017 39.3 0 2015-2016 41.4 0 2014-2015 63.7 0 2013-2014 63.7 0 2012-2013 46.9 0 2011-2012 4.7 0 2010-2011 55.3 0 2009-2010 53.8 0 2008-2009 36.2 0 2007-2008 10.7 0 2006-2007 9.0 0 2005-2006 36.0 1 2004-2005 58.8 0 2003-2004 41.4 0 2002-2003 54.6 0 2001-2002 3.7 1 2000-2001 38.9 1 1999-2000 9.0 0

I liked the cool and rainy summers in Long Beach like 09 since there were fewer big beach crowds and it was easy to get parking. Did a lot of boogie boarding and there was also more room to catch waves. The cooler summers of 03 and 04 were great also since I would average 10-20 miles per day on the Long Beach boardwalk. Bought a 7 speed cruiser bike down in the West End and put new handle bars on so I could lean forward for more speed. Fun times growing up in Long Beach. Very good people there. Almost had a suburban Coney Island vibe especially when the amusement park was still there. Ran into Joan Jet several times and said hello. She was very down to earth. Several of her videos were shot there. The old amusement park really brings back memories.

This is another list that you can use. https://csl.noaa.gov/groups/csl8/sswcompendium/majorevents.html

The record WPAC warm pool drove the record MJO leading to the SSW. https://wcd.copernicus.org/articles/1/657/2020/ In the beginning of February 2018 a rapid deceleration of the westerly circulation in the polar Northern Hemisphere stratosphere took place, and on 12 February the zonal-mean zonal wind at 60∘ N and 10 hPa reversed to easterly in a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event. We investigate the role of the tropospheric forcing in the occurrence of the SSW, its predictability and teleconnection with the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) by analysing the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ensemble forecast. The SSW was preceded by significant synoptic wave activity over the Pacific and Atlantic basins, which led to the upward propagation of wave packets and resulted in the amplification of a stratospheric wavenumber 2 planetary wave. The dynamical and statistical analyses indicate that the main tropospheric forcing resulted from an anticyclonic Rossby wave breaking, subsequent blocking and upward wave propagation in the Ural Mountains region, in agreement with some previous studies. The ensemble members which predicted the wind reversal also reasonably reproduced this chain of events, from the horizontal propagation of individual wave packets to upward wave-activity fluxes and the amplification of wavenumber 2. On the other hand, the ensemble members which failed to predict the wind reversal also failed to properly capture the blocking event in the key region of the Urals and the associated intensification of upward-propagating wave activity. Finally, a composite analysis suggests that teleconnections associated with the record-breaking MJO phase 6 observed in late January 2018 likely played a role in triggering this SSW event. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9540765/ The predictability of Northern Hemisphere sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) events is considered in 10 subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) forecast models for 16 major SSWs that have occurred since 1998, a larger sample size than has been considered by previous works. The four factors that most succinctly distinguish those SSWs with above average predictability are a preconditioned vortex prior to the SSW, an active Madden‐Julian Oscillation with enhanced convection in the West Pacific, the Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation phase with easterlies in the lower stratosphere, and the vortex morphology (displacement more predictable). Two of these factors appear to not have been considered in previous works focusing on a large sample of events. Most of these effects are not statistically significant at the 95% level due to the still relatively small sample size, though all would exceed a 90% criteria at least marginally. Combined, however, they account for 40% of the inter‐event spread in SSW predictability, thus indicating that SSWs with favorable precursors are significantly more predictable.

Thanks for the really kind words. I really enjoy your posts also.

Sorry BX. The discussion quickly got into current events after someone first mentioned JB. Always starts with climate change then gets into current events and some bring in politics. Didn’t mean to make your job harder. Will just keep it to weather banter. I don’t really have a political bone in my body but am interested in history, current events, and looking out for the underdog. I just get passionate about underdog type issues since I have been one my whole life. Under my pure weather and climate persona beats the heart of someone really interested in looking out for underrepresented people that don’t much of a voice. But understand that there is a separate OT section. Should probably keep it to personal stories and not society. Much love to all of you good people that make this place possible. The great thing about this forum is that it gives a voice to many that wouldn’t necessarily get to be heard outside a virtual world. Could not have done all my weather and climate posts without this venue. In the old days, you needed a TV or radio platform to have a voice in topics like this. Now it’s open to everyone that wants to contribute to the field. Wasn’t much for advanced math back in college though I loved everything weather. So wasn’t able to get a meteorology degree. Loved forecasting in weather lab even though the Alden Difax maps were hard to read. Got more interested in statistics later in life. Sorry for the long rant…keep up the great moderating work BX an Rjay..you guys are some of the best in the moderating business.

Yeah, this is still significant even allowing for under measurement of older storms by todays standards. The right blocking to force the classic benchmark track is a necessary ingredient. Otherwise, the record warm Gulf Stream just enhances the SE Ridge. https://theconversation.com/why-a-warming-climate-can-bring-bigger-snowstorms-176201 The warming ocean plays a role The historic blizzard that buried Boston under nearly 2 feet of snow in January 2022 was fueled by ocean waters in the western Atlantic that are warmer than normal. That’s also part of a consistent pattern. Top 10: Boston's and New York's biggest snow storms Seven of Boston's and New York's 10 biggest two- to three-day snowfall totals on record happened since 1995. Table showing the years of New York and Boston's biggest snow storms and the depth. The January 2022 blizzard was Boston's 7th largest snowfall total Boston Snow depth New York Depth 2003 28 inches 28 inches 2016 27 inches 27 inches 1978 27 inches 27 inches 2006 27 inches 27 inches 1969 26 inches 26 inches 1947 26 inches 26 inches 1997 25 inches 25 inches 1888 22 inches 22 inches 2013 25 inches 25 inches 2010 21 inches 21 inches 2015 24 inches 24 inches 1996 20 inches 20 inches 2022 24 inches 24 inches 2010 20 inches 20 inches 2005 23 inches 23 inches 2003 20 inches 20 inches 2015 22 inches 22 inches 2011 19 inches 19 inches 1978 21 inches 21 inches 1941 18 inches 18 inches The oceans have been absorbing more than 90% of the additional heat attributable to rising atmospheric greenhouse gases from human activities, particularly burning fossil fuels. The oceans now contain more heat energy than any time since measurements began six decades ago. Scientists are studying whether global warming may be driving a slowing of the ocean conveyor belt of currents that transport water around the globe. Satellite imagery and ocean measurements show that warmer waters have “piled up” along the East Coast, a possible indication of a slowing of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Moisture evaporated from ocean water provides much of the energy for both tropical and mid-latitude extra-tropical cyclones, known commonly as nor’easters

Mostly smaller countries.

The weather forums are a microcosm of this pattern. We originally began with one big forum. But squabbles kept breaking out. So we split up into separate subforums for the local regions.

Yeah, their debt to gdp is much lower than ours. So its much easier to finance their programs. As you said, their tax structure is much different. They don’t mind the higher taxes since they get so much in return. Here we get tons of hidden taxes and fees that we don’t get much in return for. So people are rightfully angry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt

There are some recent studies on why the Northeast has been one of few places that have seen snowfall increases into the 2010s. Record SSTs provided more fuel for the snowstorms when blocking forced favorable tracks. But at some point the blocking and storm tracks shift and the warmth ultimately reduces snowfall. We have been seeing more of this since 18-19. So we’ll have to see if the 2010s was some type of grand finale for record snowfall and declines become more common in 2020s along the I-95 corridor. https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/wefo/29/6/waf-d-14-00056_1.xml Abstract On 8–9 February 2013, the northeastern United States experienced a historic winter weather event ranking among the top five worst blizzards in the region. Heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions occurred from northern New Jersey, inland to New York, and northward through Maine. Storm-total snow accumulations of 30–61 cm were common, with maximum accumulations up to 102 cm and snowfall rates exceeding 15 cm h−1. Dual-polarization radar measurements collected for this winter event provide valuable insights into storm microphysical processes. In this study, polarimetric data from the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) in Upton, New York (KOKX), are investigated alongside thermodynamic analyses from the 13-km Rapid Refresh model and surface precipitation type observations from both Meteorological Phenomena Identification Near the Ground (mPING) and the National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office in Upton, New York, for interpretation of polarimetric signatures. The storm exhibited unique polarimetric signatures, some of which have never before been documented for a winter system. Reflectivity values were unusually large, reaching magnitudes >50 dBZ in shallow regions of heavy wet snow near the surface. The 0°C transition line was exceptionally distinct in the polarimetric imagery, providing detail that was often unmatched by the numerical model output. Other features include differential attenuation of magnitudes typical of melting hail, depolarization streaks that provide evidence of electrification, nonuniform beamfilling, a “snow flare” signature, and localized downward excursions of the melting-layer bright band collocated with observed transitions in surface precipitation types. In agreement with previous studies, widespread elevated depositional growth layers, located at temperatures near the model-predicted −15°C isotherm, appear to be correlated with increased snowfall and large reflectivity factors ZH near the surface The pattern produced record 80° warmth at Newark in February 2018 before record March blocking produced 30” snows on Long Island. The Western Atlantic or SE Ridge has been at record levels during the winter since 2015-2016. So a first 8 warmer winters in a row NW Atlantic warm pool also at historic levels of warmth. NYC Feb 23…+5.2 Jan 23…+9.8 Dec 22…-0.6 …………..+4.8 Feb 22….+1.4 Jan 22….-3.2 Dec 21….+4.7 ……………..+1.0 Feb 21….-1.7 Jan 21….+1.1 Dec 20…+1.7 …………..+0.4 Feb 20…+4.8 Jan 20….+6.5 Dec 19….+0.8 …………….+4.0 Feb 19….+0.9 Jan 19….-0.1 Dec 18…+2.6 …………….+1.1 Feb 18…+6.7 Jan 18….-0.9 Dec 17…..-2.5 …………….+1.1 Feb 17…..+6.3 Jan 17….+5.4 Dec 16….+0.8 …………….+4.2 Feb 16….+2.4 Jan 16….+1.9 Dec 15….+13.3 …………….+5.9 Blocking since 2018-2019 has been building down toward this record NW Atlantic warm pool. So in concert with a hostile Pacific last December we had record low snowfall for such a-AO. Never before nearly -3 SD 2nd strongest December -AO block linking with SE Ridge. In past only much weaker blocks would link up with SE Ridge. The stronger -AO -PNAs in the past with colder SSTs off the East Coast didn’t have such prominent SE Ridge linkages in Northeast.

I don’t know what the answer is since everything is so disorganized here. Just put on the news every night to see how dysfunctional our systems and society have become. There are good people trying to make a difference but the system is working against them.

Each state is pretty much like it’s own country to some extent. But look at all the problems California is having with lack of housing. Appalachia is similar with extreme poverty but it’s more out of sight and not on the news every day.

It’s much easier with the small populations they have there. Each country only has about 5-10 million people.

The programs themselves aren’t well intentioned since they don’t pay enough for survival without family help. Plus spots in the programs only have enough openings for a small fraction of the people who need them. You would probably have to go to a small Scandinavian country with much smaller population to get better assistance for people in need. But even in some of those countries the programs aren’t enough. Just too many people in need here chasing too few resources.

Also too much groupthink denies the uniqueness of the individual in bigger organizations. One size fits all policy approaches leave many good folks behind. Especially people with various challenges or disabilities. We need much better support systems for people in these groups.