Climate change and extreme weather: a connection

Climate change and extreme weather: a connection

Climate change and extreme weather: Most are aware that there is a correlation between these two phenomena. Nevertheless, there is often unclear about how exactly these relationships are linked and that they are part of a larger, complex system of global climatic events. This article tries to show these links and clarify some misunderstandings. We rely on the latest scientific knowledge and analyzes to separate facts from fiction.

climate change and extreme weather: a definition

climate change

Climate change is a long -term change in the average weather conditions and global temperatures around the globe. This can come about both natural causes such as volcanic activity and solar radiation, as well as through anthropogenic causes, i.e. man -made influences. The latter are in particular the emissions of greenhouse gases, such as coal dioxide and methane, and land use changes.

extreme weather

The extreme weather event is a weather appearance that stands out significantly from the usual, average conditions of a place. This includes events such as violent storms, floods, droughts, heat waves and cold collapse. Even if such events have always been part of the natural weather pattern of the earth, studies indicate that their increase is associated with climate change both in intensity and frequency.

The connection between climate change and extreme weather

First of all, it is important to understand that weather and climate are not the same, even if we often use the terms interchangeable. Weather refers to short -term changes in the atmosphere, while climate defines long -term weather behavior in a certain region. The global climate conditions influence the weather and both influence each other.

The role of greenhouse gases

A key role in this context plays people through the emission of greenhouse gases. They contribute to an increase in global average temperatures - a phenomenon that is referred to as global warming. Higher temperatures mean more energy in the climate system, and this additional energy can lead to more extreme weather conditions.

Effects of global warming on extreme weather

Scientific studies have shown that the increased emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting global warming lead to an increase in extreme weather phenomena. On the one hand, this includes heat waves and drought, on the other hand, but also stronger rainfall and more violent storms.

concrete effects and study results

heat waves and droughts

Various studies have confirmed that the frequency and intensity of heat waves increase due to global warming. One of these studies published in the journal "Nature Climate Change" in 2020 came to the conclusion that man -made climate changes almost doubled the likelihood of heat waves. The risk of droughts also increases with higher temperatures. According to a study by the "Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research", almost twice as many drought events could occur in the event of a warming by 2 degrees Celsius.

storms and violent rainfall

But not only hot and dry conditions increase, there are also more violent precipitation and stronger storms occur. One main reason for this is that warmer air can absorb more moisture. This can lead to stronger rains and the associated floods. At the same time, warmer ocean temperatures can enlarge the formation and intensity of storms, especially hurricanes and typhoons.

cold break -ins

Ironically, climate change can also be held responsible for extremely cold weather. Some studies suggest that the warming of the Arctic means that the polar vertebra, which usually includes cold air over the North Pole, is destabilized. This can lead to cold air flows into southern regions and leads to unexpected refract from colds.

FAZIT

Climate change is a complex phenomenon with far -reaching effects on our weather. While individual weather events can never be attributed directly to climate change, scientific research clearly shows that global climate changes increase both the intensity and the frequency of extreme weather events worldwide. It is of great importance to understand both these relationships and the possible countermeasures in order to make our future sustainable and to slow down the progress of climate change.