CEW - Extreme Changes in Weather Lesson

 

Extreme Changes in Weather

There is a great deal of controversy among scientists regarding whether global climate change is occurring. If it is occurring, what effect might it have on the frequency and intensity of severe storms? One important characteristic that severe storms have in common is that they form primarily in warm, humid atmospheric conditions. When the average global temperature rises, even by a small margin, this causes ocean temperatures to rise over time. The combination of warmer air currents and warmer ocean temperatures causes the rate of evaporation of ocean water to increase. This can lead to more water vapor in the atmosphere. Based upon these factors, many scientists argue that even a small increase in average global temperature will lead to a marked increase in both the frequency and intensity of severe storms.

El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a good indicator of the effect of climate change on weather patterns. ENSO describes a cyclical pattern through which air and water currents continuously change. ENSO has two components. El Niño is the warm water phase of ENSO. During this phase, warming of surface water temperatures down the west coast of South America alters global climate patterns. Severe weather events such as hurricanes and floods are more common during this time. La Niña is the cool water phase of ENSO. During this phase, cooling of surface water temperatures down the west coast of South America decreases the frequency of severe weather events such as hurricanes and floods.

Over the past 50 years, the world has seen an increase in the number of severe weather events including droughts, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, etc. As noted earlier, severe storms form primarily in warm, humid atmospheric conditions. What impact is the rise in the global climate having on severe storms?

Watch the video below to learn more:

Flip through the presentation below to learn about severe weather conditions.

Climate change may not be solely responsible for the higher number of natural disasters, but it is likely that future impacts cannot be ignored. Climate models can predict general trends, which include higher land temperatures over most land surfaces. As noted, most severe weather occurs in hot humid places, and increasing global temperatures include an increased number and intensity of severe storms including cyclones with higher speeds, wetter monsoons, and more mid-latitude storms.

 

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