All Weather is Being Affected by Climate Change

By Dr. Don Wuebbles

Is all weather being affected by the changing climate?

On the face of it, this may sound like an outrageous statement, but the science indicates that this is reality – all climate IS being affected by climate change. Why do scientists say this?

First of all, essentially all regions on Earth are being affected by the changing climate.

As part of this, the atmosphere and the ocean are both generally getting warmer. This warming affects weather patterns, rates of evaporation, and how much water vapor the atmosphere can hold.

So, the development of weather patterns, the highs and lows, is being affected by the mixing that occurs with air already affected by the changing climate.

In addition, climate change is also affecting all types of weather by making extremes more intense and frequent, though impacts vary by region; it's fueling hotter heatwaves, heavier downpours, worse droughts in some regions, and stronger storms (hurricanes, winter storms) in other regions.

It is altering water cycles, and shifting weather patterns globally, making extreme weather events the new normal.

Photo credit: Cash Macanaya, via Unsplash