Why the Extreme Weather?
In the news there has always been talk about climate change and how it affects the Earth. As of recent years till today, we hear the word climate change even more often than before, but what exactly is climate change?
Climate change is the changing of temperature and weather patterns, on a global scale, over a long period of time (1). Through the 20th and 21st centuries, climate change has manifested itself as global warming, which scientists across the globe attribute to human activities. An example such as deforestation or burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas allows heat to build up and release pollutants to the atmosphere of the Earth. With heat from the sun already penetrating the Earth, adding man-made gases results in the ‘greenhouse effect’. The greenhouse effect is what makes the Earth livable. Greenhouse gases absorb radiation that causes the warming of the Earth’s surface. These greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides, but the most important attribute to the group is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide helps stabilize the Earth’s atmosphere and without it, the greenhouse effect would disintegrate causing the Earth to become an “icy wasteland” (7).
What does this have to do with every day weather conditions?
There have been recent “record-crushing” heat waves, extreme floods, fires, and devastating weather conditions that have been unexplainable to some, but well predicted by climate change scientists (2).
Due to heightened man-made heat collection occurring every day, whether it is from deforestation or the burning of fossil fuels, the atmosphere warms up. The Earth has collected heat from both the sun and its occupants since before the Renaissance that has increased changes in weather patterns. With heat being retained, there is an increase in precipitation, evaporation, condensation, etc. that all affects environmental conditions such as rain, droughts, and other factors that involve the weather (1). With excessive rain, we get floods and hurricanes. With mass droughts around the world and constant heat, we get forest fires. It is obvious that environmental conditions come hand in hand with weather conditions.
Some sources of climate change:
1. Human activity
2. Burning of fossil fuels
3. Deforestation
4. Inorganic pesticides
5. Overproduction of carbon dioxide
According to environmental scientists, weather conditions are only going to become even more extreme and devastating in the decades to come (1). It has been seen that human influence on weather has only increased since 2014.
Photo link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/08/09/ipcc-2021-extreme-weather-climate/
Major weather and natural disaster events in 2021 that have occurred have been sporadic throughout the world. Here are some of the world’s events in the year of 2021 alone:
Forest fires: 44,647 wildfires have occurred in the United States (3)
Hurricanes: According to meteorologists, 18 hurricanes are expected to occur. Out of the 18 hurricanes, 9 have occurred in the past 3 months with 3 of those hurricanes causing major damage (4).
Flooding: A few deadly flooding in August of 2021 alone shows Hurricane Ida (Louisiana) with 15 inches of water. Tropical Storm Fred (North Carolina) with close to 12 inches of water. Flash flood in Arizona with 3.9 inches of water, Flash flood in El Paso with a calculated 9.62 inches of water. Tropical Storm Henri with 8.91 inches of water (5).
To learn more about expected weather conditions to come due to climate change, click the link below:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/08/09/ipcc-2021-extreme-weather-climate/
Latitudes Environmental is a full-service consulting firm, staying current on issues which affect both our planet, environment, and the human condition.
Sources
1. What is Climate Change? - https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change
2. Extreme weather tormenting the planet - https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/08/09/ipcc-2021-extreme-weather-climate/
3. 2021 NA Wildfire Season - https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disaster/2021-north-american-wildfire-season/
4. 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season - https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disaster/2021-atlantic-hurricane-season/
5. Floods in USA - https://floodlist.com/america/usa
6. Causes of climate change - https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/climate-change/causes.html
7. What is the greenhouse effect? https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/19/what-is-the-greenhouse-effect/