What is Global Warming
Scientists "found that energy leaving the ocean in the form of water vapor equaled the amount of energy dropped in rain — the first time that's been documented. There are two simple reasons why warmth exacerbates hurricanes. First, for every 1.8-degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature, the atmosphere can hold up to 10 percent more water. Second, a warmer ocean gives off more vapor, and the Gulf of Mexico was several degrees hotter than usual, leading scientists to estimate Harvey's rainfall was up to 38 percent greater than it would have been otherwise."
And Hurricanes are getting worse and more Common
"Researchers at NOAA use supercomputers to simulate the effects of climate change on hurricanes. From 2016 to 2035, they project more hurricanes in general and 11 percent more Category 3, 4, and 5 hurricanes. By the end of the century, they expect 20 percent more of the worst storms, some with winds above 190 mph. The flooding from hurricanes will also worsen as sea levels rise because of global warming. Sea levels are rising faster than at any time in the past 2,000 years, yet even with that in mind, geological scientist Andrea Dutton says, "projections give you a false sense of security." A crisis might look decades away, "but in reality, it can happen much faster.""
"As temperatures rise, the distribution of climate phenomena will shift. Floods that used to happen once in a 100 years will occur every 50 or every 20. The tail risks will become more extreme, making events such as the 50 inches of rain that fell in 24 hours in Hawaii earlier this year more common." |
Temperatures are getting warmer
"Of the 17 warmest years on record, 16 have occurred since 2001."
"The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, now exceeds 410 parts per million, the highest level in 800,000 years. Global average surface temperatures are 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than they were before the Industrial Revolution." The American public is Starting to Catch on
A survey found "that 60 percent of respondents say that global warming is taking place and that human activity is either primarily or partially why temperatures are rising. That passes a previous high of 58 percent, which was recorded in 2008, 2009 and 2017."
|