Long-term droughts, wildfires and water shortages. Torrential rain overwhelms the dam and causes catastrophic floods.
all around the world, Rising temperature Excitement about climate change has increased the chances of both severe droughts and heavier precipitation that wreaked havoc for people and the environment.
As was done in California in 2023, rainfall has only returned in vengeance with record-breaking rain and snowfall. This led to intense vegetation growth We provided fuel After the drought returned, due to the devastating January wildfires in Los Angeles.
But how can global warming cause dry and wet extremes? This is what experts say.
It’s all about the water cycle
People walk through parts of the Amazon River showing signs of drought in Santa Sofia, outside Leticia, Colombia, on October 20, 2024 (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia, file)
Water always travels between the Earth and its atmosphere. However, the system, known as the hydrological cycle, is increasing faster as the global temperature rises, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and gas.
A hotter atmosphere sucks in more water vapor from the body of water, vegetation and soil.
On land, this atmospheric demand and surface moisture loss leads to longer and more severe droughts, even expanding arid areas. The rain will be less, but when it is done, it often lies in a violent and destructive sinking.
That’s because the atmosphere retains 7% water vapor to all degrees Celsius.
“Essentially, global warming is turning the atmosphere into a bigger sponge so that it can absorb more moisture… And when there’s a good condition for rain, it’s like squeezing that sponge,” said Jonathan Oberpeck, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan. “It brings out more water faster.”
The ocean plays an extraordinary role
The ocean absorbs most of the planet’s excess heat. This causes the water to expand, dissolve at the poles, and rise in sea levels. Warm water also provides greater fuel Hurricane And a cyclone can throw away a large amount of water in a short amount of time.
For example, in 2023, Daniel, who had a day of heavy rain from a Mediterranean storm, caused a massive flood in eastern Libya. Overwhelmed two damsPassing through the water wall The city of Dhana on the coast that destroyed the entire neighborhood And then bridges, cars and people went out to the sea. Climate scientists say climate change has made the storm far more It’s more likely.
Snowman is decreasing
In this photo provided by the California Department of Water Resources, Sean de Guzmann’s prediction, second from the right, and engineer, is working on the measurement stage of the first media snow survey of the season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, on January 3, 2023.
The same goes for climate change It affects snowman, An important part of the hydrological cycle.
Melting snow can help fill reservoirs and waterways, such as drinking and agriculture. However, there is generally little snow, and is often absorbed into thirsty soil.
Additionally, the overall warmer winters make the growing season longer. This means that the snow is lost due to the evaporation of plants. But like rain, climate change can cause more severe blizzards and sometimes damage them.
“All of these things are related to warming, and we know this is entirely due to human activity with confidence,” Oberpeck said. “The good news is that if we want, we know how to stop it.”
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