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Global Warming Effects on Weather
by Christine Lehman
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Overview
The term "global warming" is becoming better known as "global climate change." The term global climate change takes into account not only increasing temperatures, but all the factors that will occur as a result of an enhanced greenhouse effect. As global warming, or global climate change, continues there will be more instances of extreme weather.
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Droughts
Higher air temperatures due to global warming lead to a higher rate of evaporation in lakes, oceans and rivers. In dry climates, water within soil is evaporated and forms rain clouds. Dryer soils which have no water to lose to evaporation will reduce the number of rain clouds, making soil even dryer. This cycle will be difficult to break.
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Flooding and torrential rainfall
Just as droughts have created a cycle of dry soil producing no rainclouds which produces dry soil, higher ocean temperatures have led to higher evaporation and the formation of a greater number of storm clouds. These clouds can become so laden with water that the ensuing rain is torrential and causes flooding, which creates more rainclouds and more rain.
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Heat Waves
Global warming means higher average temperatures, but it also means higher maximum temperatures reached in the summer months. Over the past 30 years, increased summertime temperatures have been responsible for thousands of deaths, the worst being in the summer of 2003 when nearly 30,000 people were killed worldwide.
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Hurricanes
A hurricane is a tropical storm with sustained wind speeds greater than 74 miles per hour. Hurricanes are ranked in severity from categories one (least severe) through five (most severe). Hurricanes draw their power from the heat of the underlying ocean. Consequently, warmer ocean temperatures (due to global warming) would lead to stronger and more frequent hurricanes. Since 1995 hurricanes have been more numerous and more intense than average every year, except for 1997 and 2006.
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Wildfires
Increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires is also expected as global warming intensifies. Less rainfall locally allows trees and other vegetation to become dry and excellent tinder. Wildfires account for a significant amount of property damage each year, and is annually increasing. Since 1986 the annual number of wildfires is six times greater than the average before 1986. The length of the wildfire season, which is normally in the summer months is now considered to be longer.
