The Invisible Threat: Rising House Gases and Their Impact on Climate Events Like Hurricane Sandy

Tropical cyclones are rapidly rotating storm systems that form over warm ocean waters. They have low-pressure centers, strong winds, and heavy rain. The names used for these storms vary depending on their location. Tropical cyclones use warm, moist air as fuel and warmer ocean temperatures provide more fuel, potentially intensifying storms. Warm sea surface temperatures are required for formation and strengthening, with higher temperatures resulting in faster intensification. High ocean heat content allows storms to achieve higher intensities, while faster-moving systems can intensify with lower ocean heat content. Climate change can affect tropical cyclones in various ways, including intensification of rainfall and wind speed, decrease in overall frequency, increase in the frequency of very intense storms, and poleward extension of where cyclones reach maximum intensity.

ClimateHurricaneHouse Gases

Navagating the Wildfires: How Climate Change is Affecting the Frequency and Intensity of Wildfires

Wildfires in grasslands, forests, wildland vegetation, and rural areas are uncontrolled fires and have been occurring for thousands of years. Wildfires can burn in and above the soil. Ground fires can smolder for a long time -even an entire season- until conditions are right for them to grow to surface or crown fire. Wildfires can start with natural occurrences- such as lightning strikes- or a human-made spark. Wind, high temperatures, and little rainfall can all leave trees, shrubs, fallen leaves, and limbs dried out and primed to fuel a fire. Topography plays a big part too: flames burn uphill faster than they burn downhill.

WildfiresClimate Changewildland vegetation

Melting Ice, Rising Seas: The Urgent Threat of Polar Ice Loss

The polar regions are experiencing significant ice loss at an alarming pace. The melting of ice in these areas is a major contributor to global sea level rise, posing a serious threat to coastal cities worldwide. Climate change is accelerating the ice melt in both Greenland and Antarctica, with long-term impacts on global shorelines. Ice plays a crucial role in protecting the Earth and its oceans. These bright, reflective areas help bounce excess heat back into space, which helps to keep the planet cooler. The Arctic, for example, stays colder than the equator because more solar heat is reflected off the ice back into space. Glaciers, some of which are several thousand years old, offer a historical record of climate change. Studying them provides vital information on how rapidly the planet is warming. At present, around 10% of the Earth's land area is covered by glacial ice, with roughly 90% located in Antarctica and the remaining 10% in Greenland. Rapid glacial melt in Antarctica and Greenland also impacts ocean currents. The influx of extremely cold meltwater into warmer oceans is slowing down these currents. Additionally, as ice on land melts, sea levels continue to rise. Sea ice forms and melts in the ocean, while glaciers form on land. Icebergs are pieces of glacial ice that break off from glaciers and fall into the sea. When glaciers melt, since their water is stored on land, the runoff substantially increases ocean water levels, contributing to global sea level rise. In contrast, melting sea ice does not directly raise sea levels, similar to ice cubes melting in a glass of water. However, the loss of Arctic sea ice leads to severe consequences. For example, it reduces the habitat for species like polar bears and walruses and alters global weather patterns by disrupting the jet stream.

Ice LossRising Seas