Scientists have indicated that "extreme weather phenomena are the result of rising temperatures." In research published today, they stated, "Climate change is causing changes in rainfall patterns around the world, which may also lead to the intensification of hurricanes and other tropical storms." The strongest hurricane of the year struck Taiwan, the Philippines, and then China this week, resulting in the closure of schools, businesses, and financial markets, with wind speeds reaching 227 kilometers per hour. Hundreds of thousands were evacuated from the eastern coast of China before the hurricane made landfall yesterday.
Scientists say that stronger tropical storms are part of a broader phenomenon of extreme weather due to rising temperatures. Researchers led by Zhang Wenxia at the Chinese Academy of Sciences studied historical meteorological data and found that nearly 75% of the world's land area has experienced an increase in "precipitation variability" or broader swings between dry weather and humidity. The researchers, in a study published in the journal "Science," noted that rising temperatures have increased the atmosphere's ability to hold moisture, leading to greater fluctuations in rainfall.
Stephen Sherwood, a scientist at the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of New South Wales who did not participate in the study, stated: "Variability has increased in most places, including Australia, meaning periods of heavier rainfall and drier dry spells." He added, "This will increase as global warming continues, raising the chances of drought and/or flooding." Scientists believe that climate change is also altering the behavior of tropical storms, including hurricanes, making them less frequent but more powerful.
