Podcast Summary
Atmospheric rivers cause extreme rainfall and flooding in California: Atmospheric rivers, long corridors of concentrated water vapor, bring extreme rainfall and flooding to California, with the current storm sequence posing a significant threat and the upcoming storm predicted to be deadly if people don't prepare.
Atmospheric rivers, which are narrow yet long corridors of concentrated water vapor, are causing extreme rainfall and flooding in California. These rivers can move hundreds of miles in a day and are currently posing a significant threat to the state. The current storm sequence is expected to continue, with each passing storm increasing the flood risk. Climate scientist Daniel Swain, who has studied atmospheric rivers extensively, explains that they are different from other precipitation extremes due to their narrow concentration of water vapor. The wettest parts of the country, including the West Coast, have been dealing with these extreme weather events, with Sacramento experiencing the wettest New Year's Eve on record and at least 2 levies being overwhelmed. Governor Newsom has declared a state of emergency as the upcoming storm is predicted to be deadly if people don't prepare. So, in summary, atmospheric rivers are a major cause of extreme rainfall and flooding in California and the surrounding areas, and their impact is expected to continue in the coming days.
Understanding Atmospheric Rivers: Corridors of Water Vapor in the Sky: Atmospheric rivers bring significant precipitation and flooding, contribute to half of California's precipitation, and their impact can be both beneficial and destructive. They may become more frequent and severe due to climate change.
An atmospheric river is a corridor of highly concentrated water vapor moving rapidly through the sky, sometimes carrying volumes of water equivalent to the Mississippi River. These rivers in the sky can bring significant precipitation and flooding when they make landfall. They are a crucial part of the winter climate in regions like California, contributing to half of the precipitation but also causing most flood damages. The continuous flow of atmospheric rivers is not due to banks like traditional rivers, but rather the convergence of moisture from all sides, similar to water flowing towards a river from both banks. Understanding atmospheric rivers is essential as their impact can be both beneficial and destructive. The frequency and intensity of these atmospheric rivers may increase due to climate change, leading to more frequent and severe weather events.
Long, narrow streams of moisture in Earth's atmosphere: Atmospheric rivers transport moisture from lower to higher latitudes, causing significant weather events, driven by prevailing westerly winds, responsible for moving most water in Earth's atmosphere poleward.
Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow streams of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere, primarily driven by prevailing westerly winds in the mid-latitudes. These rivers transport water from lower to higher latitudes, often causing significant weather events, particularly on the western sides of continents. The westerlies, which blow from west to east, are the primary cause of these rivers, and they are most common on the West Coast of continents due to the moisture being squeezed out by mountains before reaching the eastern sides. These rivers are responsible for moving most of the water in the atmosphere poleward on Earth. While they are common in places like the West Coast of North America, many people on the East Coast may not have heard of this phenomenon before. So, in summary, atmospheric rivers are important longitudinal features of the Earth's climate system, responsible for transporting moisture from oceans to land, particularly on the western sides of continents.
Atmospheric rivers causing more extreme weather events due to climate change: Climate change is causing atmospheric rivers to produce more moisture and more intense rainfall, increasing the risk of flooding in western coastal regions and accelerating the potential for extreme precipitation and flood events.
Atmospheric rivers, which are responsible for heavy precipitation along the western coasts of continents, are becoming more extreme due to climate change. These events, which have been happening naturally for centuries, are now producing more moisture and more intense rainfall as the Earth warms. This trend is expected to continue, leading to an increased risk of flooding in regions that experience long sequences of these storms. From a climate science perspective, extreme heat waves and heavy precipitation events are the two types of extreme weather events that are unambiguously increasing and will continue to do so as the world warms. The exponential increase in the water vapor holding capacity of the atmosphere means that the potential for extreme precipitation and flood events is accelerating, even if the warming itself remains steady. It is essential to adapt to these changing weather patterns to mitigate the risks associated with increasingly wet and extreme weather events.
The Dynamic Nature of the Atmosphere: The atmosphere is a complex, ever-changing system with short time scales, presenting opportunities and challenges for scientists to study weather systems in real time, while adapting to manage both droughts and flood risks.
The atmosphere, though primarily composed of air, behaves as a fluid just like the ocean. However, the time scales of atmospheric phenomena are much shorter, allowing atmospheric scientists to observe and study the evolving weather systems in real time. This dynamic nature of the atmosphere brings both opportunities and challenges, as we face an increasingly unpredictable climate with both more frequent droughts and extreme precipitation events. As we navigate these risks, it's crucial to recognize that the weather won't always be wetter, and we must adapt to manage both droughts and flood risks. The atmosphere is a complex, ever-changing system, full of winds, rivers, eddies, and storms, and understanding its intricacies is vital for our future.
Exploring the connection between short-term and long-term atmospheric changes: We can observe weather phenomena in real-time while also considering the impact of long-term climate shifts, offering a unique perspective on the natural world's evolution
The atmosphere exhibits changes on various time scales, from hourly weather patterns to long-term climate shifts. While geological changes may take millions of years, we can observe weather phenomena like clouds and wind currents in real-time. This connection between short-term and long-term atmospheric changes offers a fascinating perspective, allowing us to witness the natural world evolve within our lifetimes. Whether you're watching clouds build and collapse during your lunch break or considering the impact of climate change over centuries, the atmosphere's intricacies are worth exploring. This episode was produced by Thomas Lu, edited by Gabriel Spitzer, fact-checked by Avi Levin and Rebecca Ramirez, and hosted by Aaron Scott. Join us next time on Shortwave from NPR.
