Natural disasters show how closely weather and climate are linked. It's important to understand this connection because it helps us grasp both the short-term effects of weather events and the long-term changes caused by climate change.

Weather vs. Climate

• Weather is what happens in the atmosphere over a short time in a specific place. This includes things like storms, rain, and hot days.
• Climate is the average weather in an area over a long time, usually looked at over 30 years.

How They Affect Each Other

1. Hurricanes: Hurricanes become stronger and happen more often when ocean temperatures rise. For example, when oceans are warmer than 26.5°C, storms can form better. In 2020, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) noted a record 30 named storms in the Atlantic, mostly because of a warmer climate.

2. Droughts: Higher temperatures can lead to long periods without rain, known as droughts. In 2021, over half of the western United States was experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

3. Flooding: Climate change alters how much it rains, leading to more frequent and severe floods. In the summer of 2007, some areas in the UK saw almost 400 mm of rain, causing significant flooding due to increased moisture in the air.

Key Facts

• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that extreme weather events connected to climate change have become more than twice as severe since the 1980s.
• The cost of natural disasters worldwide has gone up, with damages from weather-related disasters expected to exceed $100 billion every year by the mid-2020s.

Final Thoughts

In short, weather and climate systems are closely connected. Natural disasters show us how changes in climate can make weather events worse. This highlights the need for better planning and preparation in areas affected by these changes.