Extreme Weather: A Visual Guide

MORE WILD WEATHER IN A WARMING WORLD 1*1*1/*/ *//*/* A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows that climate change will lead to higher temperatures, heavier precipitation, intensified drought and stronger storms. And the more we continue to pollute, the worse things will get. HEAVY PRECIPITATION ***** */*/* We'll likely see a GREATER NUMBER of storms that dump even more precipitation - whether rain or snow - at a time. This is one factor that increases the risk of flooding. DROUGHT Experts believe droughts could INTENSIFY in particular seasons and areas, like central North America. In addition to posing humanitarian risks and damaging economies, drought is a significant contributor to wildfires. SEA LEVEL RISE It's VERY LIKELY we'll see sea levels continue to rise, which will increase the damage from coastal storms. HURRICANES It's LIKELY that the intensity of hurricanes will increase. That means we'll continue to see strong storms the likes of Katrina and Irene here in the U.S. MUDSLIDES INCREASED PRECIPITATION means more catastrophic mudslides. Also, experts say that as temperature increases, glaciers retreat and permafrost thaws, we'll see more instability in mountains. In other words, some regions will see more landslides and glacial lake outburst flooding. HEAT It is VIRTUALLY CERTAIN we'll see a substantial warming in temperature extremes by the end of the century. That means the hottest days will be even hotter and we'll see records broken more often. It's VERY LIKELY we'll see longer, more frequent and hotter heat waves, too. The Climate Reality Project www.climaterealityproject.org Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) Summary for Policymakers http://ipcowg2.gov/SREX/ 02011 The Climate Reality Project