As we enter the summer months, I figured it would be a good time to discuss the effects of climate change on overall temperature and heat waves.
The increasing temperatures will result in (obviously) hotter summers. This is reflected by the trend of earlier heat waves as well as more extreme heat. Many more days with temperatures that top 90 degrees are in the forecast, which is not something anyone really wants to hear. As it stands, many US cities suffer in the summer, but not only from the hot weather. The heat ends up affecting health, agriculture, and wildlife. As far as health is concerned, the heat leads to worsening air pollution. This is detrimental to many vulnerable groups, including those with asthma or other pulmonary problems and heart disease. The heat in general causes increased occurrence of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The elderly, young children, and low-income individuals are often the hardest hit by heat illness. For agriculture, the heat leads to more transpiration and can dry plants. Heat waves are most often accompanied by droughts, which can damage crops and reduce food supplies. This, in turn, affects the economy of the country. Wildlife suffers in the heat right along with humans. The habitats can be destroyed by the heat, an event that often leads to reduction in population sizes. Food supplies, shelter, and other resources become scarce in the affected area and the environment is no longer able to support the population. Many animals can also succumb to heat illness. Both of these factors lead to an effect on the ecosystems.
Heat waves, like many other weather systems, can be reduced when proper environmental protection measures are taken. I will post in the future on practical ways that anyone can reduce their impact on the environment and help it stabilize and recover, thus reducing the severity and frequency of extreme weather.
Source/More information: Global Warming and Heat Waves
So snow has been a big problem on the East Coast this year- if I recall correctly, the winters have been really drastic recently. Does this have anything to do with man-made climate change? I'd love it if you could point me to information that supports that (everybody says it but I'm just curious to see the science behind it).
ReplyDeleteThe problems with snow relate to the high amount of precipitation the air can hold and the larger amount of clouds that are formed as a result of the rising temperatures. Here's a link to more information on it: http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Global-Warming/Global-Warming-is-Causing-Extreme-Weather/Winter-Weather.aspx
ReplyDeleteHeat waves will become more extreme with climate change, but how far do you think this extremity will be able to go? Is it possible for just the effect of climate change on weather to cause truly life-threatening heat waves?
ReplyDelete