What causes extreme weather events like hurricanes and floods?.

Extreme weather events are driven by a combination of natural and human-induced factors. Here are the main causes:

Key Facts

• Climate Change: Increased greenhouse gas emissions have led to rising global temperatures, intensifying storms and rainfall.
• Ocean Temperatures: Warmer sea surfaces provide more energy to storms, leading to stronger hurricanes.
• Atmospheric Conditions: Changes in wind patterns can disrupt weather systems, causing severe storms.
• Urbanization: Increased paved surfaces contribute to flooding due to reduced natural drainage.

Examples or Use Cases

• Hurricanes: Hurricane Katrina (2005) highlighted how warm waters intensify storm strength.
• Flooding: The 2021 European floods were linked to unprecedented rainfall patterns driven by climate change.

FAQs

• How is climate change linked to extreme weather? Climate change raises temperatures, which can lead to more intense weather phenomena.
• Are extreme weather events predictable? While models can forecast events, unpredictability remains due to complex atmospheric behaviors.