Published on: July 27, 2021

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATE CHANGE

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATE CHANGE

What is in news : World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has recently released a report citing the relations between extreme weather events and climate change

Which are the events :

  • The unprecedented heat wave that drove temperatures across Canada and parts of the United States
  • Floods in Germany
  • Cyclones Tauktae and Yaas that hit India’s west and east coasts

How is Climate Change responsible :

  • Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere averaged 419 parts per million in May this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
  • Global temperatures are likely to continue to increase due to the release of greenhouse gases
  • Rising average global temperature is making heavy rainfall more likely. Warmer air carries more moisture, meaning that more water will be released eventually
  • Temperatures at the Earth’s poles are rising at two to three times the temperature at the equator, which weakens the jet stream of the mid-latitudes, situated over Europe. During summer and autumn, the weakening of the jet stream has a causal effect resulting in slower-moving storms. This can result in more severe and longer-lasting storms with increased intensity.