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 >
Climate Change Effects
There are many effects like hotter temperatures, higher health risks, global warming, increase of droughts, and more severe storms. Because of higher temperatures some areas have experienced hot days and heat waves as well, which makes it hard to move and work. Another one is higher health risks. Diseases can spread due to the changes of weather, and not only that but because of the extreme weather, it can increase the number of deaths. This makes it hard for health care workers to keep up. Global warming is another effect, because our ocean absorbs heat, which causes sheets of ice to melt and endangers marine life due to the carbon dioxide that the ocean absorbs as well. Fourthly, is the increase in droughts. This can is a big threat to our environment because deserts are expanding, which is taking up the amount of space for growing food and plants. Droughts can also transfer tons of sand and dust across continents due to the sandstorms. Because it's so hot and dry, there isn't much water resource which is a big threat to humans. Lastly, more severe storms. Due to the changes in temperature, this has caused many floods and landslides destroying many homes.