How Storms are linked to Climate Change

2/9/2018 (Permalink)

As the Earth warms, powerful storms are becoming the new normal. Intense rain and snow storms along with intense drought periods are also all well-known consequences of a warming planet.

You may wonder what the difference between weather and climate is. Weather is what’s happening outside the door right at this very moment. For example, today is 71 degrees on a sunny day in Southern California. Climate, on the other hand, is the pattern of weather measured over several years. Climate is also calculated by the global average temperature to see how we are affecting the temperature rise over the past few decades as a whole. In fact, from 2001 to 2010, it was the hottest decade recorded since reliable records began in the late 1800s. These rising temperature are what we refer to as global warming or climate change. This causes patterns of intense rain and snow storms and periods of drought which are all becoming the new normal in our everyday weather as levels of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere continue to rise.

Storms do not necessarily mean bad news. After years of being in a drought, the storms this year have brought California some much needed rain. Thankfully, Southern California, does not experience many storms, however, we do need to watch our water usage since we are still in a massive drought which also results in extreme heat waves. Call SERVPRO of Alhambra to learn how you can make sure if your home is protected from flooding and roof leaks. Call us at 626-283-5875 to get a free Emergency Ready Plan for your property.