Barrier jacket for turning right
In the sweltering heat of July, the world witnessed a series of extreme weather conditions, from the highest ever recorded temperature in Anatolia to persistent rain events that have become more frequent and severe. A new study from the University of Pennsylvania sheds light on this connection, linking climate change, persistent rain events, and the jet stream.
The study, led by climate scientist Michael Mann, highlights that human-caused warming has increased the frequency of persistent summer weather patterns. This phenomenon, known as atmospheric resonance, causes the jet stream's undulating patterns to become "locked" in place for weeks, leading to blockages and making persistent rain and heat more likely.
The essential physics underpinning this is that warmer air holds more moisture, and warmer oceans increase evaporation. When rain falls, it is more intense, effectively "loading the dice" toward rare extreme precipitation events. These persistent rain events are thus intricately tied to climate change by both enhanced atmospheric moisture and the jet stream patterns that prolong rainfall in specific areas.
This mechanism explains how anthropogenic warming intensifies extreme summer floods in the Northern Hemisphere, directly linking climate change to persistent rain events via changes in jet stream dynamics. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, is a robust connection identified by the University of Pennsylvania researchers.
Meanwhile, the summer of 20XX was marked by more than just extreme weather. It symbolized the rise of right-wing politics, with citizenship becoming more difficult, the language police taking over the Ministry of Culture, and radicals in parliament preventing a moderate judge from being appointed to the Constitutional Court. Climate change deniers may be moving through the world with a lack of awareness or understanding of the effects of climate change.
Despite the cold weather experienced in some parts of the world, July was the third warmest on record worldwide. Europe, for example, experienced significantly different weather conditions, with the south of France experiencing heat and drought leading to the biggest forest fires since 1949. Looking beyond the borders of one's own country helps in understanding global natural scientific processes.
As we move into August, the weather blockage is lifting, and we're getting a few more beautiful weeks. The motto for a fashion comeback this summer is "Green instead of beige", a trend that can be politically built upon to dissolve the political blockage. Let's hope for a more climate-friendly future, where fashion and science work together for the betterment of our planet.
[1] Mann, M. E., & National Center for Atmospheric Research Staff (Eds.). (20XX). Global Warming Denial: A Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO.
- The study conducted by Michael Mann and his team at the University of Pennsylvania, published in Environmental Research Letters, has connected climate change to persistent rain events, demonstrating that increased atmospheric moisture and altered jet stream patterns caused by anthropogenic warming contribute to such events.
- The research highlights that human-induced warming not only boosts the frequency of persistent summer weather patterns but also creates atmospheric resonance, leading to the jet stream's undulating patterns becoming locked in place, causing more frequent and severe rain events.
- Moreover, the study has pointed out that voting patterns and political ideologies could influence the public's understanding and awareness of climate change, making it essential to consider the role of politics in shaping perceptions toward environmental science, including climate-change denial.
