Blanket Of White In The West, More To Come; Climate Loonies Take An L In Dutch Courts; Farce And Sacrifice: 80% CO2 Reduction; + Solar Quiet

As world leaders convene for COP29, the absurdity, irony, and outright idiocy ascends to new heights.

Blanket Of White In The West, More To Come

A severe early-November snowstorm blanketed the Western U.S., bringing record snow totals, travel hazards, and widespread power outages; while on the plus side, offering drought relief and an early-season boon to ski resorts.

The multi-day storm, one of the first major snow events of the season, coated parts of Colorado and New Mexico under as much as 4 feet of snow—as reported on already.

Denver saw 20 inches, marking the city’s third-largest November snowstorm since records began. The storm disrupted daily life, causing over 75,000 power outages in Colorado and closing major roads for days.

Meteorologists noted the unusual extent of snow on the plains, where accumulations often pale compared to the mountains. Up top, the accumulating snow prompted ski areas across the Rockies to open early, providing an unexpected boon to resorts.

That snowstorm shifted eastward after its initial impact, but yet another wave of winter weather now looms.

The NWS is warning of a Pacific storm system set to hit the Northwest, one expected to drop more substantial snowfall on the higher reaches, particularly those in northern California, the Great Basin, and the northern Rockies.

Donner Pass is forecast treacherous travel conditions from Thursday night into Friday as the snow builds.

Winter weather advisories remain active across five states, including Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. These warnings anticipate further heavy snow, gusty winds, and freezing temperatures, leading to difficult travel conditions and the risk of power outages. In Washington, 2 feet of snow is expected in some regions. Colorado’s high-elevation areas may see foot, with parts of Wyoming and Utah bracing for accumulations of between 4 and 8 inches — all before the weekend.

Looking further ahead, and east, Minnesota could receive its own burial come Nov 20.

GFS Total Snowfall (inches) Nov 13 - Nov 29 [tropicaltidbits.com]

Whether this heralds a particularly snowy winter remains uncertain, though forecasters point out that only a handful of big storms are needed to significantly impact seasonal totals.

GFS Total Snowfall (inches) Nov 13 - Nov 29 [tropicaltidbits.com]

Climate Loonies Take An L In Dutch Courts

In a decisive win for logic, Shell —who I am no fan of by the way, with the company aiding, abetting and capitalizing on the orchestrated "energy crisis" with reduced output and jacked-up prices— has successfully overturned a Dutch court ruling that required a 45% cut in carbon emissions, pushing back against an overreach by climate activists seeking to impose extreme standards on business.