In the Northern Hemisphere in 2017 and 2018 brought several destructive hurricanes to the shores of North America, the Caribbean, and throughout the Pacific rim. Such extreme weather events are predicted to get more common and more severe with increasing climate change.
Several participating classes in the ISCFC were or are in the path of these storms and we hope for the best for them, their families and communities.
We would love to hear from students affected directly and indirectly by extreme weather events, and also any students who have been following the news this summer.
What are your thoughts about the connection between climate change and extreme weather events? Has this hurricane season increased your concern about climate change or not? Do you think that US citizens and residents (and others in the region) will take climate change more seriously now?
Extreme Weather >
The Extreme Weather of Climate Change
Extreme weather events such as heatwaves, hurricanes, floods, and droughts are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. As global temperatures continue to rise, so does the likelihood and intensity of these extreme weather events. This is because the increased heat causes more water to evaporate from oceans and other bodies of water, leading to more intense and frequent precipitation. Additionally, warmer air can hold more moisture, leading to more intense and prolonged droughts. These changes in weather patterns have significant impacts on our communities, economies, and ecosystems, highlighting the urgent need for action to address climate change.
Yes, I completely agree with the statement above. As many know, and as I have learned in the web sites below, greenhouse gasses specifically trap heat in the atmosphere to make temperature and weather perfect for the mass amounts of life on Earth. Yet, human activity has caused the rate of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere to increase a great deal, only leading to global warming. Though temperatures rising isn't the only problem, as it creates many more problems throughout Earth's climate change, more specifically seen in the extreme weather. Like Gavin said, the increase in overall temperature leads to faster evaporation of water, leaving more and more places in droughts. With this evaporation occurring more frequently, hurricanes will become more and more intense, just like we have seen with hurricane Katrina 18 years ago. Though climate change is causing droughts, it also causes the complete opposite too, flooding and snow storms. Which is also due to the extreme increase in water vapor throughout the atmosphere. That is exactly why I agree with Gavin, about the fact that society needs to identify and solve our part in global warming, before extreme weather destroys more.
Sites Used:
https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2021/ … l-warming/
https://www.nationalacademies.org/based … e%20season.
https://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/
https://www.climate.gov/news-features/u … ord%20warm.