The Southern Bluish Ridge

This week, I started reading Cold Mountain, yesteryear Charles Frazier, around xx years afterward its initial publication.  This highly acclaimed new is develop inward the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains during the Civil War; much to my delight, it is accompanied yesteryear a map of that region, an expanse through which I accept travelled on many occasions.

Before getting likewise far into the novel, I decided to review the topography of the Southern Blue Ridge, alongside specific attending to its major rivers.  The mountains themselves stretch along the edge of Tennessee as well as North Carolina, extending into northwestern South Carolina as well as northern Georgia; their highest altitude is Mt. Mitchell (6684 ft.), inward North Carolina.  This swath of highlands is bordered yesteryear the Ridge as well as Valley Province, to its due north as well as west, as well as the Southeastern Piedmont to its due south as well as east.  The eastern department of the Southern Blue Ridge is drained yesteryear the Watauga River, flowing northward to the Holston River, as well as the Catawba River, flowing southward yesteryear Charlotte as well as and then through South Carolina.  The fundamental department (harboring Great Smoky Mountains National Park) is primarily drained yesteryear the French Broad River, which rises nearly the South Carolina edge as well as flows northward yesteryear Asheville, eventually merging alongside the Holston to variety out the Tennessee River due east of Knoxville; amid its major tributaries are the Pigeon as well as the Little Pigeon Rivers (Cold Mountain, 6030 ft., rises betwixt the East as well as West Forks of the Pigeon River).  Upper tributaries of the Savannah River drain the southern share of the fundamental department as well as the Little Tennessee River rises simply W of the French Broad headwaters, flowing northwestward to bring together the Tennessee downstream from Knoxville.

Finally, the western department of the Southern Blue Ridge is drained yesteryear the Hiwassee River, which flows WNW to bring together the Tennessee upstream of Chattanooga, as well as the upper tributaries of the Coosa as well as Chattahoochee Rivers, which menses southwestward through northern Georgia.  Now I tin read the new alongside a ameliorate agreement of its natural setting. 

Crossing The Eastern Divide

Yesterday morning, nosotros left Knoxville, driving eastward through the foggy Tennessee Valley.  After crossing the Holston in addition to French Broad Rivers (which bring together to degree the Tennessee), nosotros climbed into the Blue Ridge Mountains, next the course of written report of the Pigeon River.  Leveling out W of Asheville, nosotros crossed the dissever betwixt the Pigeon in addition to the French Broad Rivers, encountering the largest concentration of tent caterpillars that I convey e'er seen.

At Asheville, nosotros angled southward on Interstate 26 in addition to crossed the Eastern Divide but southward of Hendersonville; this Divide, which snakes due north to southward through Eastern Canada in addition to the Eastern U.S., separates the watersheds of rivers flowing to the Gulf of United Mexican States from those flowing toward the Atlantic Ocean.  South of the Divide, nosotros shortly arrived at the border of the Blue Ridge Mountains in addition to were treated to a spectacular persuasion of the Southeastern Piedmont.

After undulating across the Piedmont, hemmed inwards past times a pine-broadleaf forest, nosotros crossed the Fall Line at Columbia, leaving the Precambrian bedrock of the Blue Ridge in addition to Piedmont in addition to traveling across the flat, sandy reason of the Coastal Plain.  We'll pass a few days along the South Carolina coast earlier heading southward to Florida.

Crossing Mississippi

Mention the State of Mississippi together with close Americans probable mean value of Delta cotton fiber fields or beautiful Gulf beaches bracing for the side past times side tropical tempest or hurricane.  But close of the State is covered past times wood together with woodlands, a fact that I confirmed every bit nosotros traveled through Mississippi yesterday.

Returning to Missouri, nosotros entered Mississippi westward of Mobile, Alabama, together with exited the State only due south of Memphis, Tennessee.  From the Alabama edge to Hattiesburg, nosotros undulated through the De Soto National Forest, crossing the Chickasawhay together with Leaf Rivers, tributaries of the Pascagoula which enters the Gulf of Mexico.  Between Hattiesburg together with Jackson, the terrain leveled out every bit nosotros crossed the "pine belt" earlier reaching the Pearl River, which too flows to the Gulf.

North of Jackson, woodlands all the same predominate but are broken past times small-scale farms together with ranches together with past times wetlands along the Big Black River together with the upper tributaries of the Yazoo River (all of which menstruation westward to the Mississippi).  On both sides of the Coldwater River, the northernmost of those waterways, wide swamplands had attracted hundreds of neat egrets, providing the natural highlight of our journeying through the State.  

The Atlantic Comes Alive

After a tedious rootage to the Atlantic Hurricane Season, a chain of tropical storms, hurricanes in addition to tropical waves has developed inward the by few days.  Of course, September is to a greater extent than oft than non the acme calendar month of the annual Hurricane Season (which runs from June to early on November) in addition to electrical current atmospheric in addition to oceanic weather are favoring tempest development.

Just yesterday, Tropical Storm Gordon made landfall along the Mississippi Coast in addition to its flooding rains cash inward one's chips on to autumn most Pensacola in addition to Mobile; inward the coming days, that tropical organization volition inject copious wet into the Midwest which volition interact amongst a mutual frigidness front end to gain flooding from Arkansas to the Great Lakes.  Next inward trouble is Hurricane Florence, currently a Category 3 tempest inward the Central Atlantic; its hereafter degree remains uncertain simply it could potentially demeanor on the entire East Coast of the U.S.  Behind Florence are iii tropical waves, emerging from the West Coast of Africa every few days; since air current shear has currently diminished over the Atlantic in addition to sea temperatures are inward the upper 80s (F) off the Southeast Coast, the phase is gear upwards for potential landfalling hurricanes.

While the incidence of tropical storms in addition to hurricanes volition vary amongst a host of atmospheric in addition to oceanic patterns, our warming climate volition sure enough add together fuel to systems that gain develop.  Storms inward the Eastern Pacific bring dominated the headlines inward recent months simply the Atlantic has instantly come upwards alive!

Florence Lashes The Southeast Coast

Florence, straightaway downgraded to a Category ii Hurricane, has grown into a wide tempest alongside hurricane or tropical tempest strength winds stretching across 400 miles.  The outer bands accept come upwards ashore inwards eastern North Carolina this morning, igniting tornadic thunderstorms together with producing heavy, wind-swept rain.

Due to "blocking highs" to its due north together with northwest, Hurricane Florence is expected to stall most the Coast together with and thus drift southwestward along the southeastern coast of North Carolina together with the northeastern coast of South Carolina, perchance equally far S equally Charleston.  North of the storm's eyewall, which currently has sustained winds of 105 mph, onshore winds volition create a tempest surge of 10 feet or more, too equally inland flooding from upwards to ii feet or to a greater extent than of rain.

Due to its deadening forwards motion (toward the coast together with and thus downwards the coast), the high winds, tempest surge together with heavy pelting volition persist for a long menses of fourth dimension (perhaps 48 hours), increasing the endangerment of flooding together with impairment to trees, ability lines together with structures.  Of course, the Hurricane Stuntmen volition hold upwards at that topographic point to convey us the action.

The Surge Coast

The entire Gulf Coast of Florida, from the Keys to Pensacola, is peculiarly vulnerable to tempest surge equally hurricanes in addition to tropical storms come upward ashore.  Counterclockwise winds force H2O toward the coast on the "right" side of storm's eye, forcing it across the depression province in addition to upward the coastal rivers.

This procedure is accentuated along the Florida Gulf Coast due to the topography of the Gulf itself.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wide shallow area, representing the westward part of the Florida Platform, parallels the State's Gulf Coast; equally body of body of water H2O is swept inward past times the storm, it cannot dismiss downward in addition to builds to destructive depths across the barrier islands in addition to coastal lowlands, leveling structures in addition to flooding the landscape.

Hurricane Michael, immediately a Category four storm, is poised to come upward ashore close Panama City this morning.  Storm surge is expected to arrive at xiii feet or to a greater extent than inward around parts of the Great Bend earlier the hurricane in addition to its remnants cutting a swath of devastation across the eastern Panhandle, due south Georgia in addition to the Carolinas.

Driving Toward Spring

Leaving Columbia this morning, nosotros headed toward spring; it was cloudy as well as cool inwards primal Missouri as well as patchy snowfall withal covered the ground.  As nosotros drove eastward to St. Louis as well as and hence southward through western Illinois, nosotros encountered multiple flocks of snowfall geese as well as greater white-fronted geese, vanguards of the coming season.

When nosotros crossed the swollen Ohio River, nosotros were greeted past times sunshine as well as warm conditions simply a brown, wintry landscape withal stretched along the highway.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 large flock of American white pelicans, likewise a harbinger of spring, graced Lake Barkley, southeast of Paducah as well as light-green fields in conclusion appeared inwards southern Kentucky.

Throughout Tennessee as well as into northern Alabama, mild, sunny atmospheric condition persisted simply convincing signs of jump remained elusive.  After dipping through the Tennessee River Valley as well as and hence knifing into the southern destination of the Appalachian Chain, nosotros stopped for the nighttime almost Birmingham.  Spring withal lies further due south (stay tuned).

Entering Spring

If leap was lurking inward cardinal Alabama, I wouldn't know.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 dense fog enveloped the highway from Birmingham to Montgomery together with the following landscape was all simply invisible.  South of Montgomery, however, early on leafing of shrubs together with small-scale trees was evident, a reliable sign that nosotros had entered the flavour of renewal.

When nosotros reached Interstate 10, inward the Florida Panhandle, nosotros flora ourselves inward the midst of extensive tree harm from Hurricane Michael that ravaged the portion terminal October.  Mixed alongside the carnage were flowering blood-red maples, about other sign that nosotros had changed seasons.  Heading eastward on the Interstate, nosotros flora that the tree harm extended to the outskirts of Tallahassee; thereafter, the greenery of leap was persistent, including a greenish blush inward the canopy of large trees.

Later, driving due south downward the Florida Peninsula on I-75, nosotros eventually reached the Subtropics where the classic seasons are replaced past times two: the Dry Season, from Dec to May, together with the Wet (Hurricane) Season, from June to November.  We had reached Spring together with left it behind inward the same day.

Southeast Flooding

When nosotros left Longboat Key, Florida, yesterday morning, it was sunny in addition to lxxx degrees F; these pleasant weather persisted equally nosotros drove northward, equally far a southern Georgia.  An hr due south of Atlanta, however, clouds began to thicken in addition to intermittent showers cooled the air into the forties; yesteryear the fourth dimension nosotros reached that city, a steady pelting was falling in addition to dense fog shrouded the skyscrapers in addition to the landscape.

We spent the black only due north of Atlanta, inward Marietta, in addition to learned from the desk clerk that pelting had been falling for days.  Throughout the night, lightning flashed in addition to thunder rolled and, yesteryear morning, a flash overflowing advisory covered all of northwest Georgia; indeed, the streams were depository fiscal establishment sum along the Interstate all the agency to Chattanooga.  Once nosotros reached Tennessee, the pelting had stopped but all of the rivers westward to Nashville in addition to northward to Paducah were out of their banks in addition to shallow lakes covered many of the fields.

Flooding was specially severe at the mouths of the Cumberland in addition to Tennessee Rivers in addition to along the lower Ohio itself.  Recurrent heavy rains, combined alongside melting snowfall in addition to cold, compact soil, were responsible for the soggy landscape, setting the phase for both the jump waterfowl migration in addition to the verdant months ahead.

See also: Flood Season

Barry Retests Human Folly

Approaching the Louisiana coast, Tropical Storm Barry volition presently retest the folly of edifice a large metropolis at the oral fissure of North America's largest river system, one-half below sea degree in addition to subject on the protection of pumps in addition to levees.  Up to twenty inches of pelting is expected inwards some areas in addition to the Mississippi River is already inwards overflowing stage.

Of course, New Orleans is non the exclusively coastal American metropolis to blossom some an early on seafaring port precisely i would intend that nosotros accept learned our lesson over the past times 500 years.  Long enamored amongst the beauty in addition to utility of rivers in addition to the ocean, nosotros humans tin no longer crimp upward our tents or deed to a higher cave when threatened past times high water.  Even inwards the seem upward of ascent sea levels in addition to destructive annual floods, many United States of America of America cities in addition to towns stand upward their ground, determined to rebuild (with Federal assistance assured).

While port facilities in addition to historic structures cannot or should non move moved, it is fourth dimension for humans to abandon floodplains in addition to high conduct chances coastal areas.  If nosotros create non initiate the procedure (while likewise doing what nosotros tin to mitigate global warming), nature volition forcefulness our hand.

Our Climate Alter Capitol

Since our electrical flow Capitol is dominated yesteryear climate-change deniers as well as fossil fuel lobbyists, I intend it's fourth dimension to designate a Climate Change Capitol of the United States.  Cities that are already impacted yesteryear global warming appear to last reasonable choices as well as I would back upward whatever of the following.

Charleston, South Carolina, as well as Miami, Florida are already dealing amongst the complications of a ascent body of body of water level, enduring floods from goose egg to a greater extent than than high tide episodes; these cities are too regular targets of increasingly severe hurricanes.  Then at that topographic point is New Orleans, maybe the almost obvious choice, partly below body of body of water level, walled off from tropical storms as well as Mississippi River floods yesteryear levees as well as relying on pumps to proceed the urban essence dry.  Finally, an ironic choice would last Houston, Texas, the abode of Big Oil only the victim of recurrent catastrophic floods over the yesteryear decade, all fueled yesteryear bathtub temperatures inwards the Gulf of Mexico.

There are sure many other candidates, including unopen to of our larger "Green Cities" as well as almost towns along the Missouri as well as Mississippi Rivers, but, different the Democratic Presidential Field, it may last best to firstly amongst a express rank out of well-qualified localities.  I may nominate other candidates downwardly the trouble only the sooner nosotros yank climate-change policy from Washington, D.C., the better! 

Detour To Congaree National Park

On the agency to our condo on Longboat Key, Florida, my married adult woman in addition to I made a detour to the east, crossing the wide swath of the Appalachians betwixt Berea, Kentucky, in addition to Spartanburg, South Carolina.  Our finish was Congaree National Park, southeast of Columbia, South Carolina.

Established inwards 1976, this Park covers 27,000 acres of the Congaree River's floodplain, protecting the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain wood inwards the United States.  While roughly of the commons is wilderness, accessible solely past times canoe or kayak, the northwest corner of the save includes a Visitor Center, a 2.4 mile boardwalk loop in addition to several longer earthen trails.  Massive bald cypress trees rising inside the sloughs in addition to Cedar Creek Valley piece towering oaks in addition to long-leaf pines dominate the upland areas.  Among the wild residents are pileated woodpeckers, barred owls, river otters, five-lined skinks in addition to a large multifariousness of waders in addition to wetland songbirds.

Today, the sloughs in addition to trails were dry, reflecting an ongoing drought inwards the Congaree watershed.  As a result, wild animals sightings were express despite the mild, sunny conditions.  On the other hand, nosotros got enough of practice in addition to were able to explore an ecosystem that has been nearly (99%) lost to logging, inundation control, wildfire suppression in addition to agriculture inwards America.