Global Warming Effects on Hurricane Harvey
The biblical catastrophe caused by Hurricane Harvey was made 3 times more likely because of global warming while the storm’s downpour and flooding intensified by 15% according to research study. World Weather Attribution (WWA) announced on Wednesday that global warming caused by human impact is partly to blame for the heavy rainfall in Houston, which led to over 19 trillion gallons of water dumped in the Houston area and severe floods.
The Tragedy was Threefold
Three factors played a significant role in the brutal consequences of Hurricane Harvey: the surprising amount of rainfall, the fast intensification before landing in Houston and the unexpected stalling of the Hurricane in one place.
Unbelievable amounts of water were dumped as a result of Hurricane Harvey. It has been explained that when the air temperature is higher it holds more moisture. That means the amount of water vapor in the air is increased which in the case of a world warmed up by climate change it can lead to more intense rainfall. Starting from the sea surface which is warmer due to global warming, this heat made it possible for the storm to take up more water vapor. If you add to this that the atmosphere too is warmer and also held up more water, it all resulted in making the rainfall unusually and catastrophically intense.
The rapid intensification of the storm was also a result of the fast evaporation of sea water. Water evaporation is by all means quicker from a hot surface.
However, the volume of the rain and the storm’s intensity may not have made a difference if the Hurricane hasn’t just stopped over Texas. The reason behind this is alleged to be that opposite currents were competing against each other to move the Hurricane towards opposite directions and neither of them “won”. Scientists state that most probably climate change was not to blame for that, yet, it has been alleged that climate change can potentially make steering currents weaker.
Hurricane “Climate Change”
Ultimately, global warming played a definitive role in this human tragedy. Unfortunately, global warming itself is a result of human impact. Hurricane “Climate Change” is now sweeping over the entire world, which everyone hopes will not just be a trend. Companies owe to take long-term responsibility for their actions and the importance they place on sustainability in a transparent and honest way. CSE is bound to help them in this mission and genuinely guide them towards making a positive impact on the world. CSE’s Certified Sustainability Practitioner Program in Atlanta, March 8-9 will responsibly address the importance of Sustainability in the Supply Chain and Carbon Footprint Reduction in order to provide companies with all the necessary tools and resources to be sustainable and not cause harm to the environment and the society. To those who are truly willing.