In the past few years, there’s been a noticeable uptick in extreme weather events that have shattered lives and ecosystems across the globe. From hurricanes that lay waste to communities to uncontrollable wildfires and devastating floods, these events seem to be escalating in frequency and intensity. One can’t help but ask, why are these events becoming more commonplace?
This piece delves into the factors contributing to the surge in extreme weather conditions, scrutinizing everything from anthropogenic climate change and human actions to naturally occurring climate phenomena.
As communities globally confront these disasters, grasping the root causes is a crucial first step in mitigating and adapting to them.
Plan for Extreme Weather Conditions
Being ready for severe weather is no longer just a logical precaution but an imperative in today’s shifting climate landscape. Consulting experts in disaster management can offer invaluable insights in these situations.
Specialists in disaster management are skilled professionals who comprehend the complexities of various kinds of natural disasters, ranging from hurricanes to sweltering heat waves. They offer specialized advice on preparing for, responding to, and recovering from these incidents. Plus, their work frequently involves developing emergency blueprints, suggesting essential supplies, and imparting education to the public on safeguarding themselves.
By adhering to the protocols recommended by a disaster specialist, communities can drastically lessen the risks tied to severe weather. Given the cruciality of disaster specialists in today’s era, it is no wonder the disaster management field is growing rapidly. The average salary of a disaster specialist is $59,978 in the US. The commendable role they play in disaster response, preparedness, and crisis management attests to their demand and significance.
Factors Contributing to Extreme Weather:
Climate Shifts
- Global Temperature Rise
The rise in global temperatures is directly related to increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide. These gases absorb solar heat, raising the average temperature of the Earth. According to the findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global average temperatures have risen by about 1.5°C since the Industrial Revolution.
This escalation affects weather systems, spawning more extreme conditions. For instance, a warmer atmosphere can contain more moisture, culminating in intensified rainfall and storms. Likewise, heightened temperatures can worsen heatwaves, leading to more rampant and ferocious wildfires.
- Acidification of Oceans
The Earth’s oceans also absorb the high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. When dissolved in seawater, carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid, which splits into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions, raising the ocean’s acidity – known as ocean acidification. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reveals that surface ocean acidity has surged by nearly 30% since the inception of the Industrial Revolution.
The increased acidity can severely harm marine species, particularly those reliant on calcium carbonate shells or structures, like corals and mollusks. These alterations in marine ecosystems can upset global food chains and modify weather systems, given the ocean’s pivotal role in climate regulation.
- Ice Caps Melting
Thawing polar ice caps and glaciers is another grave consequence of climate alterations with immediate repercussions for extreme weather. This melting contributes to rising sea levels, heightening the risk of inundations in low-lying coastal regions. Reliable data suggests an increase of around 8 to 9 inches since accurate record-keeping began in 1880, with an additional 1 to 8 feet expected by 2100.
Elevated sea levels also amplify the potency of storm surges during cyclones and hurricanes. For example, the intensity of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 was magnified by rising sea levels, resulting in widespread flooding in places like New York and New Jersey.
Impact of Human Activities
- Deforestation
The large-scale eradication of forests has far-reaching impacts on climatic patterns. Forests serve as natural carbon absorbers, capturing vast amounts of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. When forests are cleared, this essential function is compromised, amplifying levels of these gases in the atmosphere, thereby augmenting global warming.
Forests also play a vital part in the water cycle, facilitating transpiration and evaporation. Their absence disrupts local water systems, making regions more susceptible to extreme conditions like flooding and droughts.
- Urban Expansion
The movement of growing populations into urban regions transforms large areas into crowded cities. The accumulation of heat-retaining materials like concrete and asphalt in urban locales generates “urban heat islands,” zones with substantially higher temperatures than surrounding rural regions. These temperature elevations can disturb local weather systems, often intensifying extreme temperatures and compromising air quality.
The absence of natural drainage mechanisms like wetlands or forests makes urban locales more prone to flooding during torrential rains, contributing to the increase in severe weather incidents.
- Agricultural Practices
Our agricultural methodologies can also influence extreme weather occurrences. Overutilizing water resources for irrigation is a key contributor. Agriculture accounts for a significant portion of freshwater usage, and unsustainable management can lead to soil degradation and heightened susceptibility to drought conditions. It sets up a damaging cycle that further affects agricultural yields.
Moreover, applying fertilizers and pesticides releases nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gases, intensifying climate shifts that, in turn, influence the regularity and harshness of extreme weather. Clearing land for agricultural purposes also ties back into deforestation, which brings more climatic ramifications.
Natural Climate Phenomena
- El Niño and La Niña
The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a climate phenomenon linked to the cyclical rising and cooling of sea surface temperatures within the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, comprises two phases: El Nino and La Nina.
El Nino is characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures, which can cause global weather patterns to alter. It frequently causes greater rainfall in certain areas, such as the southern United States, and drought in others, such as Australia and Southeast Asia.
La Nina, on the other hand, symbolizes the inverse phase, with cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures. La Nina frequently has the opposite impact of El Nino, causing drier conditions in locations where El Nino provides rain and vice versa. Both phases can influence extreme weather phenomena such as hurricanes and heat waves.
- Technological Influences
Although they are less common, technological elements influence the changing dynamics of weather patterns. One notable example is cloud seeding, a method of encouraging rainfall by spreading compounds into the air that act as cloud condensation or ice nuclei. While the intention is to supplement water supplies or decrease hail damage, unforeseen consequences exist.
Excessive rainfall can cause flash floods, and changes in local weather patterns might unintentionally impact ecosystems. Furthermore, large-scale infrastructure, such as wind farms, can influence local temperatures by changing airflows.
Hence, it’s critical to approach such technology treatments with prudence and thorough investigation to avoid unwittingly exacerbating the problems we’re attempting to alleviate.
Conclusion
As we witness an upswing in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather, understanding these multi-faceted causes is increasingly urgent. Through education, technological innovation, and policy changes, mitigating the most destructive impacts and adapting to this increasingly unstable climate are within reach. All in all, curbing climate extremities demands proactiveness and global action.