Climate scientists agree that climate change increases the likelihood of stronger and wetter storms. However, researchers were unable to say just how responsible climate change was for the development of Sandy .Climate scientists avoid blaming any single weather event on global warming but many say that climate change may well have played an important role in the destruction caused by Sandy.
Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge was elevated by both the warming sea-level rise and the timing of the lunar cycle. Sandy occurred during the astronomical high tide (2 to 3 inches above a normal high tide). Global sea level has already increased by 4 inches since 1950, creating the equivalent of a fulltime high tide.Sandy carried an unusual amount of moisture, which increased the risk of very heavy precipitation within its path. Much of the warming from climate change occurs in the ocean. Sandy spent significant time over uncommon warm sea level’s boosting the amount of moisture available to drain down.
Hurricane Sandy was encountered in a “traffic jam” in the North Atlantic, known as a “block” to meteorologists. This block did not allow Sandy to track out to sea like most northeast storms. Meanwhile, a storm associated with some very cold air over the Midwest also ran into this Atlantic traffic jam, resulting in an unusual “hybrid” storm.
Finally, Sandy also carried an unusual amount of moisture, which increased the risk of very heavy precipitation within its path. Much of the warming from climate change occurs in the ocean.
(NASA animation of the jet stream that shows how, over time, the south and north waves of the jet stream have grown deeper and move more slowly across the middle latitudes, as melting sea ice warms the arctic).
Hurricane Sandy brings us to conclusion two mayor corncerns : We need to reduce the risks of climate change by reducing our carbon emissions, and we must strengthen our defenses against future impacts that it may be too late to avoid. Our sea walls and other infrastructure were built to deal with the extreme weather risks of the 20th century. Sandy is offering an opportunity to see where we fall short in preparations for the 21st century.
SOURCES-
A Year After Sandy, Living Dangerously by the Sea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorological_history_of_Hurricane_Sandy
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/climate-change-sandy.html