COTW: More Severe Storms in Our Future

One consequence of global warming is the intensification of winter storms in the northern hemisphere. The phenomenon known as "arctic amplification" is thought to be responsible. This winter the northeast and midwest are experiencing large amounts of snowfall. The chart shows the increasing number of natural catastrophes over the past three decades in North America. Of course each disaster costs the federal government billions in emergency services and insurance payments.  In 2011 there were 14 extreme weather events that each caused $1 billion in damages. 2012 contained 11 such disasters.  Pay particular attention to the green bars showing meteorological events as compared to geophysical events:

A new study by Munich Re, a top reinsurer, concludes that "climate-driven changes are already evident over the last few decades for severe thunderstorms, heavy precipitation, and flash flooding..." The study also says that North America is ground zero for climate disasters with the largest increase  in the number of disasters.  NOAA has come to a similar conclusion in its Climate Extremes Index: