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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Climate Change and Hurricanes

During the past several years, Canada has had to deal with five or six hurricanes a year. Climate specialists say that this particular storm activity could continue for another decade. There is really no way to accurately predict how many storms in the Atlantic will affect Canada. What we lack in number of hurricanes we make up for in their intensity. Think of hurricane Juan and White Juan just a few months later. The cleanup from hurricane Juan still continues in Point Pleasant Park, in Halifax. The predictions for this year say that we will have an active hurricane season with up to five large storms in the Atlantic Canada region between August and November

A hurricane is formed by a group of thunderstorms that circle around each other and form a vortex. This group of thunderstorms continues to spin in tight formation until, in the centre, the eye is formed. The meteorologist watch the eye to see when and where the hurricane will make land fall since this is where the hurricane will pack the greatest punch.

There is growing evidence the climate change and warming conditions in the oceans and the atmosphere will make hurricanes even more destructive in the future; however, this does not necessarily mean more hurricanes. In our area, the Gulf Stream becomes an important factor. Scientists know that the ocean has been warming up on a yearly basis due to more heat in the atmosphere. This has an effect on all storms from thunderstorms to hurricanes.

Hurricane Bill was the first major hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane season.. Bill, originated as a tropical wave that emerged from the western coast of Africa on August 12, and organized into a tropical depression on August 15, 2009. The depression was quickly upgraded to a tropical storm. This storm continued to track west-northwestward. Bill attained hurricane status and major hurricane status on August 17 and by August 18th the status as a Category 4 Hurricane. It weakened as it veered north, passing Bermuda with little impact, and then, thankfully, Bill lost its tropical characteristics as it passed into the waters of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Was this hurricane caused by climate change? How will climate change continue to affect Nova Scotia? We are beginning to experience a gradual increase in the impacts of climate change. This may mean increasingly extreme weather (hot or cold), droughts, flooding on the marsh and in towns like Oxford, and erosion along our beaches. How can we be proactive against such an enormous global threat as climate change?

In Nova Scotia, we can expect warmer average temperatures, higher sea levels, more extreme rainfalls and storm flooding, and more-frequent and extreme storms. Preparing for a changing climate poses particular challenges in Nova Scotia because most of our population lives along the coastline and much of our infrastructure is located in those vulnerable areas.

Education should be a major focus. Communities need to understand climate change so they can prepare for expected changes. Hurricane Bill may have been a bit of a dud but continued vigilance and preparations will become very important for everyone.

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