Deadly tornadoes this year in Joplin, Missouri, and the southeastern U.S. can be linked to natural variability, La Nina and perhaps even climate change. This article examines tornado climatology from a different perspective, looking at the influence of land surface and soil moisture.
The two record-setting extreme events during the summer of 2010, the Russian heat wave and the Pakistan flood, occurred almost at the same time. A recent study shows that these two events were physically related.
Tom Windsor chases storms. He’s recently been chasing the science behind climate change, too. This is an essay on his time as an up-close observer of extreme weather systems, and his recent conversion from climate change agnostic.
Floods in Pakistan threaten the nation’s infrastructure, energy security, political and economic stability and natural ecosystems. In this situation, sustainable development may be the only way to manage both natural and man-made disasters. This paper presents the effects of extreme weather events in Pakistan and their impacts on sustainable development.
The Global Precipitation Measurement Mission will offer a new generation of space-borne precipitation measurements, building on the success of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, launched in 1997. The advancements can help us understand the impacts and better predict the future behavior of extreme weather events like landslides, floods and cyclones.
Scientists need to work to reframe the conversation about climate change in the media. This is important given the politicization of climate change science, where scientific uncertainty is often mischaracterized and promoted as an excuse for inaction.
