More Inflation? Barge Tug on the Mississippi River at Ft Madison, Iowa, 3:07pm Courtesy: Virtual Railfan Concerns about the Mississippi River's low level are ramping up again . Unfortunately, while rain chances will be improving in the South the next few days ....farther north, where the water is needed to fill the river, rain chances are very low the next seven days (below).  Above is the NWS's rainfall amount forecast for the next seven days.  Barge is the least expensive way of shipping goods significant distances. If this continues, it will increase inflationary pressures. 

One of Big Climate's biggest lies is that wind energy lowers electric bills. Those of us condemned to live in states with a high amount of this nonsense have seen our electric bills soar.  Not only do we have high rates, when we had extreme cold in February, 2021, we had blackouts, too. This had never before happened in Kansas, including in December, 1983, when we had the "coldest two weeks in the history of the state." In those days we were relying almost entirely on coal.  As John Hinderaker writes , The average cost of electricity generated by wind turbines has almost doubled in three years, and yet governments continue their irrational policies that can only drive the cost of power higher. The one thing that could make the situation catastrophically worse is if governments imposed drastic new demand on the electric power grid by making us all drive electric vehicles. But no, they could never be that stupid. Could they? Massachusetts, which uses almost no wind energy, ...

All of the computer models are showing a major incursion of very cold air in the middle to latter part of next week and that will last for several days. I'll explain the meteorology below but first the effects: Inflation will worsen. Energy costs will go up even faster and there may be local shortages.  The supply chain issues will worsen.  I urge you to prepare now.  Keep your car filled with fuel (even at current high prices, they will likely rise further). If you need essential items, get them now. This could include prescriptions or other items. Make provisions for elderly, the infirm or others that may need assistance.  Here is the meteorology: This is the forecast for temperatures at 6am CST next Friday.  This is the forecast for temperatures at 6am CST next Saturday.  While we don't know every detail as yet, I urge you to prepare for this cold wave.  Addition: 6:45pm. Here is the NWS's 6-10 temperature outlook, issued after this was posted...

You've probably noticed a trend in recent headlines. The above, and many more, represent a coordinated effort by Big Climate to blame weather and global warming for a number of recent recent economic ills.  It would be bad enough if these were merely hyperbole (they are) but they provide cover ("weather is unpredictable," after all) for mismanagement and bad policy. Let's take an example of the importance of this topic from my home state of Kansas.  Today, The Kansas Reflector ,  a liberal newspaper published in the state capital of Topeka, quoted an official with Evergy, the state's largest electric utility, as follows: The cold snap in February from winter storm Uri left Kansas grappling with $1 billion fallout after gas prices spiked by up to 250 times over a few days. Estimates indicate some Kansas customers of Evergy electric company will pay   $152.3 million in power costs over two years ... [Evergy's]  Grady said one change made to ensure 2021 doesn’t ...

With today's report of inflation at more than 6% (worst in 30 years), please consider it the beginning and not the end. Here is the bottom line :  ... it’s not yet winter.  As temperatures decrease, corporations and households will consume even more energy,  increasing demand. Winter heating is not an optional cost. One cant allow one’s family and/or employees to freeze. The increase in consumption of energy during the winter will raise prices even higher.- That’s only part of the story. The higher energy prices and the need to keep indoor temperatures warm will raise the cost of producing products.  The increase in energy costs will also raise the price of the supply chain—an increase in the fuel costs for trucks, container ships, etc. Companies will not eat those higher prices. The costs of producing and shipping products will force companies to increase the price of their goods. Put it all together, as the weather gets colder,  energy costs will rise even fas...