You might have noticed that the weather has been pretty strange lately. Extreme weather conditions and natural disasters are making headlines around the world more frequently today than usual.
Climate change is happening right before our very eyes. We are witnessing extreme weather conditions which can be indicators of global climate change. Data from Climate Communication suggests that the Earth’s average temperature is continuously rising, despite some natural year-to-year fluctuations.
Heat and dry weather in the future could lead to more extreme conditions, dust storms, and wildfires in the summer. Large swings in conditions could cause blizzards, unexpected frosts and extreme temperatures in winter.
In the United States a variable climate is not uncommon, however recently, the weather has become much more unpredictable. Even though this is just the beginning of spring, there have been forecasts made by meteorologists for droughts, wildfires, and dust storms in the months ahead, sooner than you think.
Dusty months ahead
The state department of ecology is predicting warm weather, dust storms, and wildfire in Central and Eastern Washington.
“Drought conditions likely will mean dry vegetation and soil in Washington mountain forests away from the coast and in fields that are not irrigated or get less than usual water because of shortages.” – union-bulletin.com
This is because of the low snowpack and warm weather in the mountains of Central and Eastern Washington. The weather has been dry and moisture is low. The Natural Resource Conservation Service says the Walla Walla River basin snowpack is at 31 percent.
Clint Bowman, an atmospheric scientist with the Washington Department of Ecology said “Drought-like conditions increase the potential not only for dust storms, but for wildfires.” – ecy.wa.gov
Current extreme weather events
Global warming affects us all. Researchers have found a link between the current extreme weather patterns across the globe and global warming. These extreme events include unseasonably cold weather due to polar vortex, extreme heat waves, cyclones, hurricanes, and devastating floods in the recent years.
These patterns of extreme events are in part shaped by human induced climate change. Climate change has changed the natural limits of meteorological systems, changing the intensity and odds of a natural disaster. Certain types of extreme weather events are likely to occur more frequently.
“The kinds of extreme weather events that would be expected to occur more often in a warming world are indeed increasing.” – climate communication.
Global warming is a serious issue
Records found at the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) show that the average surface temperature of the globe has increased approximately 1.4°F since the early 20th Century, which is a clear long-term global warming trend. Scientists also believe that a small increase in average temperature leads to big changes in extreme weather.
The extra heat can cause moisture in the atmosphere to dry more quickly, giving rise to longer lasting droughts. Such droughts have been experienced in the recent years in places like California or Australia. Overall, more record high temperatures, across the globe, are being reported.
The number of new record highs recorded each year is a sign of a warming climate trends, and a clear example of its impact on extreme weather.
The future of the globe
Meteorologists have been able to create computer models to predict the future global temperature projections. The model predicts that the summer temperature that was among the top 5% in 1950–1979 will occur at least 70% of the time by 2035–2064 in the U.S. This estimate is done assuming that the current greenhouse emission rate will remain at moderate levels.
This would mean some of the states in the south will experience at least 150 days a year with temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat waves that occur once every 20 years today are projected to occur every other year.
Just imagine how this global warming trend is going to impact our daily lives. It’s going to impact everything from our weather patterns, precipitation, agriculture, ocean currents, natural vegetation, wildlife, and forests. Animals are likely to move or migrate to cooler regions in the north, and it’s going to cause major problems in our food system, and overall health of general population.
Take action
The main reason of the current trend towards global warming has been identified by scientists, is primarily because of our own actions.
“The biggest cause of global warming is the carbon dioxide released when fossil fuels — such as oil and coal — are burned for energy” – NRDC.
So if you save energy, you fight global warming, it’s that simple. To reduce burning of fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gases, we could take the following steps.
- Limit pollution
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle
- Drive smaller, more efficient, cars
- Use cleaner energy, such as solar or wind
- Increase green jobs and businesses
- Make homes and buildings more energy efficient
- Develop better transportation systems
Making a shift to a greener lifestyle is the only way for us to reduce our impact on the globe. There are really simple ways we could help our planet to recover from the damage that we have already done to her. Little things like turning off the light when we leave the room, using less energy and resources whenever possible, and conserving resources in our day to day life. It could really improve the quality of our planet. When we all do a little, together we can do a lot.
Please join us and help us to combat global warming. We could create a greener planet for all of us and also for the future generations. To learn more, please Click here to book a meeting with us.
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Source: Institute of Ecolonomics
Resources and related articles
- Government Records Of 2013 Most Extreme Weather & Climatic Events | Environmental Professionals Network
- Cause of Unseasonably Cold Weather in the United States | Environmental Professionals Network
- Extreme Weather Events Around the World
- Natural disasters and extreme weather | World news | The Guardian
- Four Extreme Weather Changes and Why They’re Happening Now
- Climate change | Environment | The Guardian
- 5 Things you are doing to Damage the Planet | Institute of Ecolonomics
