What's happening to the weather on Earth: a climate scientist explains the killer heat, record rainfall, and fierce wildfires

Extreme weather events are becoming more common around the world. Record rainfall, killer heat waves, and raging forest fires – these weather events have happened in the past, but the problem is that they are happening more often and to a much greater extent now.

Why is this happening and can anything be done about it? Climatologist Katharine Hayhoe explains more about this surge in strange weather events and what it means for us, Space.com writes

Whether we like it or not, climate change is affecting us all: extreme weather events are driving up home insurance rates, our food is becoming less nutritious, and drinking water is becoming scarcer.

Heat waves

Let's start with one of the most obvious consequences of climate change: heat waves. As the world gets warmer, heat waves are not only becoming more frequent but also much stronger.

Heat waves occur when a high-pressure atmospheric system moves and pushes warm air toward the ground. The problem we are currently facing is that high-pressure systems are getting stronger as the planet heats up, catalyzing a vicious cycle.

"The warmer it is, the stronger the high-pressure system is, and the stronger the high-pressure system is, the warmer it is," explains Hayhoe.

Another side effect of global warming is that a warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor. Wherever moisture-laden air passes over land or gathers in a storm system, it can cause heavier precipitation, such as heavier rains and snow storms.

Atmospheric rivers are one of the big players when it comes to heavy precipitation. An atmospheric river is a river of moisture in the sky. When one of them approaches a mountain, the air is forced to rise. In the process, the air cools, and the water condenses and falls as rain.

"So what happens is that atmospheric rivers become stronger and bigger because they take up much more water vapor. Ultimately, the warmer it gets, the more water evaporates from the ocean," continued Hayhoe.

Heavy rains and floods

This year's rainstorms and floods have already wreaked havoc around the world, and it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. Hurricanes and typhoons are a type of weather phenomena known as tropical cyclones. Regardless of their name, these storms are unique in that they are powered by warm ocean water. The world's oceans are particularly vulnerable to climate change and warming.

"90% of the extra heat trapped in the climate system goes to the ocean, not the atmosphere," explains the climatologist. This means that there is plenty of energy to power stronger storms. Thus, most storms become stronger and turn into hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical cyclones.

Forest fires

Another significant consequence of climate change is an increase in the frequency of severe forest fires. In the first three months of 2024 alone, forest fires in the United States destroyed more than 680 thousand hectares of land.

Forest fire seasons have started to come earlier and last longer. For example, this year's wildfire season in Canada started in February, whereas previously they only started in March. According to a BBC report, the total area of fires in 2023 was eight times larger than the 40-year average. Unfortunately, this devastating scenario will become more common due to climate change.

Unlike wildfires in the United States, most forest fires in northern forests, like those in Canada, are caused by lightning strikes, not humans. Scientists predict an 11-31% increase in lightning frequency for each degree of global warming. This is because warmer air can hold more moisture, about 7% more moisture for every degree Celsius. Since humidity is a key component of thunderstorm development, the more moisture in the air, the higher the likelihood of thunderstorms and accompanying lightning strikes.

"Wherever we look around the world, we see these weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change, and they are putting us all at risk," comments Katharine Hayhoe.

While it may be hard to find something positive in a sea of negative news about climate change, rest assured that the tides are turning. People are becoming more and more aware of the effects and severity of climate change. However, it remains uncertain whether this awareness is spreading fast enough. What is clear is that we are all responsible for climate change and can take steps to mitigate it.

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