Effect of Global Warming on the Monsoon Season: Is There More Severity?
Global warming is affecting numerous areas of the Earth. Climate change is among the most noticeable change. Global warming is causing many of the storms on Earth to intensify. The changes have already become present in hurricanes. The monsoon season in many areas of the world are also becoming more intense as the temperatures of the Earth rise. Monsoons thrive off of high temperatures. The higher the temperatures rise, the more intense the monsoon storms will become.
Monsoon Storms
What is a Monsoon?
Monsoons begin off of many coastal regions. As the hot temperatures of the ground begin to expand and rise into the air, they mix with areas of low pressure. As the heat rises and the pressure builds, the monsoon rains eventually fall to the earth. Monsoons often bring large amounts of rain in a short amount of time.
Global Warming and Monsoons
As global warming continues, the monsoon season in many areas of the world will intensify. As the ground temperatures continue to rise, the more pressure will build. The winds and rains caused by the monsoons will intensify, leading to a number of problems.
As the monsoons intensify, the threat of severe flash floods increases. The higher the temperatures are, the more rain the monsoons will bring. This can be especially bad it is occurs in an area that has been experiencing a sever drought. If heavy rains affect these areas, flash flooding is likely to occur, along with landslides.
As monsoons intensify, other complications are likely to occur. Areas of the world that do not typically experience a monsoon season may begin to experience the strong rains. This weather activity that is not common in these areas can lead to flooding and more landslides.
As the global warming causes the monsoons to move to other regions of the world, it can leave areas that usually experience the monsoons dry. This can lead to severe droughts and a depleted water supply. As the grounds become drier, the risks of extreme sand and dust storms increases.
Coastal regions that are usually hit first by the monsoons can experience more of the affects than inland areas. The coast regions can develop strong tropical storms or hurricanes. The flooding in these areas can become massive as global warming causes the temperatures to continue to rise.
References:
“Monsoon” Weather Phenomena
“What Causes Monsoons?” chs.K12
Photo: “Me & Sky” By Asifthebes July 16, 2007 stock.xchng
