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
As more carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere, temperature all over the earth rise. Many natural disasters are caused, like hurricanes and fires are becoming stronger and lasting longer than ever before. More greater and extreme weather is occurring creating a greater danger than ever before. Many hurricanes have been progressively getting more intense and powerful. In the article titled, Global Warming and Hurricanes, says that since the 1970s the PDI (which measures the activity, frequency, intensity and duration of hurricanes in the Atlantic) are much higher than in the 1950-60s. Greater hurricanes will continue to destroy the Atlantic's economy, land and people.
Another major, unnoticed weather extreme are the wildfires. After reading The Great Burning article, many tragic information about the fire conditions, people and firefighter relationships and the government’s reactions were explained. Fires burn hotter, longer and larger than they ever have before due to the rising temperatures caused by global warming. With fire seasons lasting much longer fires grow at night. Especially in Arizona, temperatures are rising quicker than before creating an unrealistic expectation on the firefighters. People expect firefighters to immediately put out any fire and save their house when they call 911. Unfortunately this isn’t possible since many people’s homes are surrounded by fire fuel. Although there are some fire safety regulations, government doesn't help the situation. Many political officials push the issues aside. Little funds for research, and the cost for the fighting of fires have gone up by $1.6 billion in 17 years. Republicans and Democrats continue to ignore facts of global warming and how it affects fires and don’t take action to slow it down. Some even believe it is the greatest myth of the century. With the little action in government, firefighters trying to meet people’s unrealistic expectations and conditions making fires worse, global warming continues to hurt the Earth.
Extreme weather, like wildfires and hurricanes becoming worse, the predictions of global warming’s effects on weather are becoming reality. With no agreeing and very little action going on in the government, a big change is needed quickly to save the Earth. Even though people try to ignore the facts and effects of global warming, we need to take action and try to lower our carbon footprint in our world.
Website:
https://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/global-warmin … urricanes/