Published on Jun 12, 2014
Extreme weather events, from hurricanes to heat waves, seem to be in the news with increasing regularity.But are extreme events actually increasing in frequency? And do they have a connection to our changing climate? Ethan will begin the lecture with an overview of some recent extreme weather events, and their impact on humans, whether due to flooding, extreme heat, or drought. Next, Karen will discuss observed changes in heavy precipitation events, and the connection between a warming atmosphere and increased heavy precipitation. Finally, Andy will explain the physical causes of heat waves, and how extremely hot temperatures are expected to change as the average temperature increases. Following the lecture, the speakers will give a short workshop on accessing and visualizing climate data on the internet.
Presented by Ethan Butler, Karen McKinnon, Andy Rhines