The Science of Extreme Weather
The weather makes for great casual conversation. Everyone relates to hot, wet, chilly or humid experiences. We all live and breathe through constantly changing weather conditions. Climate can be defined as the average weather, and the statistics about changes in weather over time define climate change.
No single extreme weather event can be attributed to climate change. However there is an emerging pattern of more frequent and more intense extreme weather conditions, and scientists predict that this will continue as a result of rising greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.
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Global Evidence
Need more evidence? See it here »
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- Understanding natural hazard impacts on Australia
- Climate Change : A guide for the perplexed
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- Climate change glossary
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- BBC News: Is extreme weather down to climate change?
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- Munich Re's Natural Catastrophes 2007: Analyses, assessments, positions
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- Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report - Summary for Policymakers
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- Climate Change and Extreme Weather: Is there a connection?
- Environment Canada: Extreme Weather and Climate Change Report
Our changing climate
Our favourite climate science website it www.realclimate.org – check it out!
Our weather changes daily, but globally climate changes occur over time coinciding with highs and lows in the the Earth’s heat retention cycles.
The sun heats the Earth’s land surfaces and oceans which radiate the heat back into the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases allow the lower atmosphere to absorb the heat radiated from the Earth’s surface.
These gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide and are an important part of our atmosphere keeping the Earth from becoming an icy sphere with surface temperatures of about 0°F.
But over the last century or so, humans have pumped increasing amounts of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere, mainly by burning fossil fuels like oil and coal which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
This has caused recent global temperatures to increase more rapidly than shown in the past records.
Scientists believe it is the result of an increase in greenhouse gases, which trap more and more heat.
Complicating Factors
There are many different factors that complicate this system, including clouds, volcanic eruptions, oceans, and people.
Additionally, there are likely factors that affect climate which we have yet to identify.
Factors interact, resulting in global cooling, global warming, or even contributing to both.
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