Attribution of Extreme Weather Events in the Context of Climate Change

Attribution of Extreme Weather Events in the Context of Climate Change
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 187
Release: 2016-07-28
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309380979

As climate has warmed over recent years, a new pattern of more frequent and more intense weather events has unfolded across the globe. Climate models simulate such changes in extreme events, and some of the reasons for the changes are well understood. Warming increases the likelihood of extremely hot days and nights, favors increased atmospheric moisture that may result in more frequent heavy rainfall and snowfall, and leads to evaporation that can exacerbate droughts. Even with evidence of these broad trends, scientists cautioned in the past that individual weather events couldn't be attributed to climate change. Now, with advances in understanding the climate science behind extreme events and the science of extreme event attribution, such blanket statements may not be accurate. The relatively young science of extreme event attribution seeks to tease out the influence of human-cause climate change from other factors, such as natural sources of variability like El Niño, as contributors to individual extreme events. Event attribution can answer questions about how much climate change influenced the probability or intensity of a specific type of weather event. As event attribution capabilities improve, they could help inform choices about assessing and managing risk, and in guiding climate adaptation strategies. This report examines the current state of science of extreme weather attribution, and identifies ways to move the science forward to improve attribution capabilities.

Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation

Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation
Author: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 593
Release: 2012-05-28
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1107025060

Extreme weather and climate events, interacting with exposed and vulnerable human and natural systems, can lead to disasters. This Special Report explores the social as well as physical dimensions of weather- and climate-related disasters, considering opportunities for managing risks at local to international scales. SREX was approved and accepted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 18 November 2011 in Kampala, Uganda.

Loss and Damage from Climate Change

Loss and Damage from Climate Change
Author: Reinhard Mechler
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 563
Release: 2018-11-28
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319720260

This book provides an authoritative insight on the Loss and Damage discourse by highlighting state-of-the-art research and policy linked to this discourse and articulating its multiple concepts, principles and methods. Written by leading researchers and practitioners, it identifies practical and evidence-based policy options to inform the discourse and climate negotiations. With climate-related risks on the rise and impacts being felt around the globe has come the recognition that climate mitigation and adaptation may not be enough to manage the effects from anthropogenic climate change. This recognition led to the creation of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage in 2013, a climate policy mechanism dedicated to dealing with climate-related effects in highly vulnerable countries that face severe constraints and limits to adaptation. Endorsed in 2015 by the Paris Agreement and effectively considered a third pillar of international climate policy, debate and research on Loss and Damage continues to gain enormous traction. Yet, concepts, methods and tools as well as directions for policy and implementation have remained contested and vague. Suitable for researchers, policy-advisors, practitioners and the interested public, the book furthermore: • discusses the political, legal, economic and institutional dimensions of the issue• highlights normative questions central to the discourse • provides a focus on climate risks and climate risk management. • presents salient case studies from around the world.

Lightning: Principles, Instruments and Applications

Lightning: Principles, Instruments and Applications
Author: Hans Dieter Betz
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 641
Release: 2008-12-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 140209079X

Lightning represents a natural phenomenon of substantial interest. Due to its complex nature, research continues in many countries and reveals amazing results. Lightning is actively observed because of its relevance to Earth climate and air composition in addition to the classical aspects of related human fatalities and damage to forests, buildings, power lines, aircraft, structures and electronic devices. In this volume, the most important contemporary questions on lightning are addressed and analyzed under many experimental and theoretical aspects. Lightning detection techniques using ground-based and space-borne methods are described, along with network engineering and statistical analysis. Contributions detail research on atmospheric electricity, cloud physics, lightning physics, modeling of electrical storms and middle atmospheric events. Special phenomena such as triggered lightning and sprite observations are examined. Lightning-induced nitrogen oxides and their effects on atmospheric chemistry and climate are discussed. Each topic is presented by international experts in the field. Topics include: * air chemistry * convective storms * infrasound from lightning * lightning and climate change * lightning and precipitation * lightning and radiation * lightning and supercells * lightning and thunderstorms * lightning detection * lightning from space * lighting protection * lightning return strokes * observations and interpretations * spatial distribution and frequency * triggered lightning * weather extremes

Advances in Numerical Model, Data Assimilation, and Observations for Hazardous Weather Prediction

Advances in Numerical Model, Data Assimilation, and Observations for Hazardous Weather Prediction
Author: Feifei Shen
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Total Pages: 134
Release: 2023-10-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 2832537723

Accurate and timely forecasting of hazardous weather events induced by meso-scale convection systems (MCSs) is the key to safeguarding lives and property. Yet the MCS forecasting is challenging due to imperfect initial numerical conditions that lack meso-scale convective information and multi-scale dynamic and thermodynamic consistency. Remote sensing observations are the primary source of estimating weather conditions, such as moisture, wind velocity, and precipitation. It is of fundamental pivotality to develop data assimilation technologies to enhance applications of multi-source observations. Performance assessments of new types of observations facilitate the network designment for regional- and storm-scale numerical models. This Research Topic seeks submissions underscoring the improvement of the accuracy of MCS predictions, warnings, and decision support for high-impact weather events as well as observation network designs.

Observations of Waterspouts and Their Parent Clouds

Observations of Waterspouts and Their Parent Clouds
Author: Vernon John Rossow
Publisher:
Total Pages: 76
Release: 1970
Genre: Atmospheric circulation
ISBN:

Results of a study of waterspouts during the summers of 1967 and 1968 in the area around Key West, Florida are presented. Observations were made from Coast Guard Cutters and from aircraft assigned to the Key West Naval Air Station on a cooperative basis with NASA, Ames Research Center. Measurements made of the electric and magnetic fields associated with these atmospheric vortices indicate that electricity does not play a primary role in their structure and could be eliminated as a generating mechanism or as a means of identification. The measurements did not clarify a secondary or augmentation role for electrical energy because the events which involved electrical activity could not be studied thoroughly enough to identify the relationship with the vortex. Although electricity is eliminated as an essential of defining mechanism, some evidence was found (low cloud tops and a lightning demise of a spout) to indicate that these vortices cannot exist if electricity is too prominent. Of the 104 evehts sighted, it was found that 30 rotated cyclonically, 9 anticyclonically, and the rest either went unnoticed or were not observable. The parent clouds had tops at 8,000-12,000 ft and bottoms from 800-2 500 ft altitude. Other results obtained on the characteristics of Waterspouts supplement those in past publications but stiil do not appear to disclose the mechanism responsible for the formation of the vortex at the time and location of its occurrence. The relationship of these results to tornado structure is uncertain.

Severe Convective Storms

Severe Convective Storms
Author: Charles Doswell
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 567
Release: 2015-03-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1935704060

This highly illustrated book is a collection of 13 review papers focusing on convective storms and the weather they produce. It discusses severe convective storms, mesoscale processes, tornadoes and tornadic storms, severe local storms, flash flood forecast and the electrification of severe storms.