Can local extreme events be attributed to global warming ?

What is it about?

Climate change has numerous and far-reaching effects. Increasing global temperatures is one of the most apparent and measurable effects. Between 1901 and 2016, temperature rose by 1.8°F. It is well known that the emission of greenhouse gases leads to climate change. Sadly, even a notable reduction in greenhouse gases now will not prevent global temperatures from rising in the future. Such extreme temperatures will have adverse effects on the environment. In particular, meteorological and hydrological extreme events will become more frequent and intense. Examples of such events include torrential rain, intense and frequent droughts, wildfires, and cyclones, and sea level rise. These will affect civil engineering infrastructures in turn. In this chapter, (Chapter 2, State of the Science in Meteorological/Hydrological Extremes from Impacts of Future Weather and Climate Extremes on United States Infrastructure), the authors explore the effects of global warming on such future events using insights generated through computer simulations. They also refer to existing research to highlight the challenges faced in connecting extreme weather events to global warming.

Featured Image

Photo by Abraham Barrera on Unsplash

Photo by Abraham Barrera on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Attributing the occurrence of extreme weather events to global warming is difficult. This is because some of these events may occur due to other natural causes. In this chapter, the authors discuss how computer simulations can be used to create climate models. These models can help connect global climate changes to local events like cyclones and droughts. In addition, they can be used to make more accurate predictions of the likelihood of local extreme events. KEY TAKEAWAY: Novel simulation models can help us understand local extreme weather events, and how they are linked to global climate change. Insights offered by these models can help devise preventive measures to reduce the effects of global warming on civil engineering infrastructures.