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What are natural disasters? Natural disasters are catastrophic events that cause great damage or loss of life. Natural disasters consist of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc. But, what causes these natural disasters? Natural disasters are usually the effect of bad weather. In recent years, temperature levels have increased to new records. These temperature increases are a result of climate change. (Dunbar) What is the difference between weather and climate and what does it have to do with climate change?
Most people know that weather is the change that humans see and feel outside from day to day. Weather can change dramatically over a short period of time. One day it might be hot and sunny, but the next day could be cold and rainy. Climate works differently than the weather. Climate is the change of weather in a certain place during a long period of time. This is usually a location with the weather changing every few months to a couple of years. A place may be cool and wet during the winter, but warm and dry during the summer.
Climate change is the shift of a climate in a certain place. This could be a change in how much rain a place usually gets in a year, to a change in temperature in a certain region. Climate change also affects the Earth’s climate. Climate change affects a region on if it snows or if it constantly rains. Weather can change the temperature of a region in a few hours, while climate change takes place from a few years to hundreds of years.
Hurricanes have been a nuisance to the world for hundreds of years. A hurricane is a massive storm system that forms over warm water. They tend to move toward land and causes potential threats that include: powerful winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, inland flooding, rip currents, tornadoes, and landslides (Hurricanes).
Hurricanes form when warm water evaporates and creates moist air to fuel the storm. The winds from nearby continents blow the forming storm across the ocean. The moist air from the ocean rises high into the atmosphere causing water vapor to condense back into liquid droplets forming large stormy anvil-shaped clouds. As the warm air rises, the winds begin to spin in a circle. The spiraling wind gathers clouds forming a hurricane.
What does hurricanes even have to do with climate change? Hurricanes usually only form from June to November. With the recent climate change shift, hurricane season is lasting longer than usual. From the chart above, the increase of heat from global warming is causing ocean water to warm up earlier than June, leading to hurricanes forming earlier than June and later than November.
“A tornado is a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground,” according to Crystal Wicker. Tornadoes usually form from thunderstorms. As seen above in the diagram, tornadoes are formed when cool, dry air and warm, moist air meet causing instability in the atmosphere. The air starts to rotate in all directions and speeds when there is instability in the sky.
The damages tornadoes cause are catastrophic. Tornado winds can reach speeds up to 300 mph. These winds can destroy buildings, uproot trees, and throw cars hundreds of yards. Damage from a tornado is severe and can result in many casualties. With the extreme heat from global warming, the amount of tornadoes is increasing because of the mixture of the extra heat from global warming and the cold from the winter season. As seen in the chart above, tornadoes are more frequent now than ever during the winter season.
What is a wildfire? A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire occurring in wild land areas. Wildfires can consume homes and agriculture with its unrestrained flames. Wildfires often begin unnoticed, but they spread quickly burning bushes, trees, and homes. The smoke from these fires can cause damage to the Earth’s ecosystem.
Wildfires can cause serious damage destroying homes and burning everything in its path. Wildfires can be life threatening to humans, plants, and animals. Animals who call the forest their home have lost it due to the fast spreading flames that will consume anything it sees.
With the increase of global warming, the Earth is beginning to warm up more than usual. The increase of heat is causing more uncontrolled fires causing massive waves of wildfires. As seen in the chart above, from the early 1980’s, wildfires have caused around 3 million acres of damage due to wildfires. In recent times, the number of acres of wildfires have increased from 3 million to a whopping 7.5 million acres that have been damaged to the fast moving flames.
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