Extreme weather events have been commonplace this summer, from brutal storms to crippling droughts. Have you been impacted?
As temperatures rise, the extra heat in the atmosphere translates to changing and unusual weather patterns.
For some, that means battering storms. These come with torrential rain that may lead to flooding, and some have seen tornadoes or hurricanes. Roads are being washed out, and homes or cars can be damaged or even ruined by rising waters.
For other areas, rather than receiving too much water, they don’t get enough. Above average temperatures and below average rainfall have led some previously fertile areas to experience droughts, ravaging crops and draining away rivers and lakes. Dry conditions lead to huge forest fires, and smoke from those fires can be carried by air currents for hundreds of miles.
Underlying all of this are record-high temperatures, which keep some people from venturing away from home at best, and leading to dehydration or heat exposure at worst.
This extreme weather impacts everyone, in ways both big and small. How have you been affected, and what may happen to you if temperatures continue to rise?
Related questions: How is climate change impacting you? What is keeping us from sustaining the planet? Climate change: How would you act if your house was on fire?
First, the drought in Minnesota has necessitated spending much more time watering my garden as well as our plants and flowers. The garden, thankfully, has still provided our household with healthy food while the plants and flowers beautify our yard and give pollinators something to feed on. Second, the climate conditions that have prolonged wildfires in Canada have sent smoke to our state’s skies. As a result, I have had a slightly but constantly sore throat summer. And third, most importantly, while most of the extreme weather events across the globe have not had a physical impact on me, I am deeply concerned about how this will become worse as time passes and have to be seriously contended with by younger and future generations that did not play a role in creating these conditions.
I too am very concerned about global warming and its effects on future generations. We need to make sure our government leaders put this issue at the top of their agenda. The good news is that more and more people are becoming aware of this threat and are working to end our dependency on fossil fuels.