Posted on 06/16/2005 12:21:50 PM PDT by anniegetyourgun
Climate change could make future hurricanes stronger, but whether the effect is measurable is still a matter of debate. It is also unknown whether it will change the total number of storms.
Kevin Trenberth from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) claims that warmer oceans and increased moisture could intensify showers and thunderstorms that fuel hurricanes.
"Trends in human-influenced environmental changes are now evident in hurricane regions," Trenberth said. "These changes are expected to affect hurricane intensity and rainfall, but the effect on hurricane numbers remains unclear. The key scientific question is how hurricanes are changing."
Sea-surface temperatures in the tropical North Atlantic – the breeding ground for most U.S. hurricanes – have been the warmest on record over the last decade. Across the globe, the amount of water vapor over the oceans has increased by about 2% since 1988.
Computer models show that these climate changes will push hurricane intensities toward extreme hurricanes, Trenberth said. Moreover, the added moisture in the air will produce heavier rains and increased flooding when the hurricanes make landfall.
There is uncertainty, however, about how well the models account for all the inputs that might affect hurricane strength.
“In the models, an increase in sea surface temperature could make more intense systems,” said Philip Klotzbach, who was not involved in the present work. “But the models do not account for changes in wind patterns that might tend to tear apart hurricanes.”
Klotzbach said that the effect of global warming on hurricanes may end up being small. He said it is hard to notice any difference because the “signal gets swamped by year to year variability.”
According to Chris Landsea of NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory, there is evidence for natural swings between high and low hurricane activity that extend for 25-40 years.
“The last ten years have been busy for the U.S. – similar to what we experienced between the 1920s and 1960s,” Landsea said.
He thought that global warming could have an impact on hurricanes, but he quoted one study that predicted in 80 years only a five percent change in wind speeds due to increases in heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
“It doesn’t mean there is zero effect,” he said. “But that’s hardly measurable.”
Even with large swings in one region, the total number of big storms across the globe each year does not change by much. Historically, when hurricane activity increased in the Atlantic, there was a corresponding decrease in typhoon activity in the Pacific, and vice versa, so the global hurricane frequency has remained steady over the years.
Klotzbach and William Gray, both of Colorado State University, have made hurricane forecasts for the Atlantic. The current 2005 predictions are 15 named storms (up to the letter ‘M’), of which eight are expected to become hurricanes. Four may become major hurricanes.
Not all of these storms will reach land. Predicting how storms will move is highly uncertain and may have little to do with global warming.
"There is no sound theoretical basis for drawing any conclusions about how anthropogenic climate change affects hurricane numbers or tracks, and thus how many hit land," Trenberth said
In 2004, four hurricanes struck Florida and 10 tropical cyclones or typhoons hit Japan. These unprecedented numbers were at least partly due to large-scale circulation features that drove the events toward land.
Warming may play role in wealth disparities.
Warming may play role in childhood diseases.
Warming may play role in weight gain.
Warming may play role in divorce.
Warming may play role in gas prices.
Warming may play role in dog attacks.
Warming may play role in traffic fatalities.
Warming may play role in food poisoning.
Warming may play role in required overtime.
Warming may have played role in Bush election.
To be fair, no one is questioning global warming, only its cause.
What a hot steaming load of shi'ite. Everyone knows that global warming comes from the hot gas liberals spew into the atmosphere!
Here's more:
-Global Warming Plays Role in N. Florida Snowstorm
-Global Warming blamed for Vegas Casino Fire
-Global Warming Linked to Teen Pregnancy
Soon it will be worldwide common knowledge that the U.S. is responsible for the bad weather everywhere. Really.
Hurricanes are governed within a long term cycle, and we are climbing out of the lower part of the curve right now.
Frequency and intensity will continue upward for about 20 years, and unless the earth turns into a snowball, that's the story.
Well, to be fair, they aren't questioning global warming - only it's cause. Not everyone buys the global warming stuff...
Oh, and by the way, welcome to FR.
Warming KY may play a role in increased Viagra sales
;^}
Global Warming?
can I blame global warming on my vertigo...and the reason I got sick yesterday after eating a plate of mexican food giving rise to the use of a sick day.
No, it is the oncoming Ice Age.
Teperature = Temperature
Count me in the column of questioning global Warming.
Sheeeeeeeessssh
My own favorite headline ...
Sun may play role in global warming
I remember ole Al giving a speech on Warming in NYC. It happened to be one of the worst winters in years.
And thus proof of global warming.
In other words, there was no valid scientific reason for writing and publishing this article.
According to some scientists, increased sun spot activity has contributed to global warming.
Average temperature for the Northern San Joaquin Valley today is 87. Predicted high today is 70 with rain. Yeah, global warming alright.
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