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 >
Extreme Weather
Extreme weather is mainly caused by climate conditions due to human activity. Climate change caused by humans create a rise in greenhouse gases which is increasing the frequency and intensity of weather events. Massive increases in greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere causes the earth to grow warmer. As it gets warmer, wildfires start to grow which create hazardous air pollution affecting many living organisms. Hurricanes form as global temperatures rise and storms draw energy from warm ocean waters. Higher temperatures also create droughts, moisture evaporates from water bodies and soil; these droughts are becoming more severe due to climate change. Glaciers and ice caps start to melt adding to a rise in sea level causing floods. This is all due to the burning of fossil fuels causing gases to trap heat warming the earth.
People should take this all into consideration knowing that it’d definitely affect their lives. Extreme weather events demolish homes, deteriorates health, and destroys environments.
Sources: https://earthjustice.org/feature/how-cl … atmosphere.
https://climate.nasa.gov/extreme-weather/