I was on a trip from San Diego to Chicago yesterday evening. Due to severe thunderstorms, we were diverted to St. Louis, and only when a small “window” in the weather opened up were we able to continue to Chicago. When we got here, the storm was back and we sat on the tarmac, lighting all around us with rain so bad they could not unload luggage. More than 250 flights were cancelled and a lot of people were stranded in Chicago. I am still here.
It occurred to me that there were several inches of rain here in just the last 12 hours. This much rain, had it fallen on Southern California, would have solved our severe drought problem. Our lakes and reservoirs would be replenished now.
[Except, of course, for the havoc it would have unleashed by the initial flooding].
We’re living in a time of climate inequality.