Meteorologists are predicting an apocalyptic future climate – Le Figaro

The next few decades will be marked by heat waves, polar episodes or giant waves, according to climate scientists congress in Montreal.

The simple rain in August might be good news. The weather conditions will result in more severe episodes, emphasizing periods of extreme heat or cold polar and increasing the frequency of tsunamis and other weather disasters, according to climate experts gathered at an international conference that was concluded Thursday in Montreal, Canada.

Initiated by the World Meteorological Organization, a UN agency, the conference brought together a thousand scientists from 16 to 21 August. On the occasion of the first World Conference on Meteorology, scholars have debated the topic: “The weather, what future?” And painted a rather dark picture of the future needs to be climate-. Air turbulence increased, more and more extreme polar and heat waves, giant waves in the ocean … These events are expected to gain in strength and frequency because of global warming, one concern of scientists.

Boost phenomena

A lake touched by one of the most severe droughts in Colombia in July . Photo credits: EITAN ABRAMOVICH / AFP

Nearly ten years after the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, the question is not to determine whether to take place. “This is irreversible and the global population continues to increase, it is necessary that one fits,” says Jennifer Vanos, of Texas Tech University. Between 2000 and 2010, the average surface temperature of the planet has increased by 0.47 degrees Celsius. However, an increase of 1 degree generates 7% of extra water vapor in the atmosphere. Evaporation is the catalyst of traffic flows in the atmosphere, accelerated weather is expected. “The clouds will form more easily, more quickly and the rains will be stronger,” including generating more flash floods, says Simon Wang, Utah State University.

The scenarios used by the scientific community favored an increase of 2 degrees in the average temperature on the surface of the Earth by 2050 Outcome: episodes of extreme cold, such as the polar vortex slammed this winter over much of North America, will be stronger, more extreme, like heat waves and droughts. In general, higher temperatures will have “an amplifying effect on the climate as we know it today,” said Simon Wang.

Twice turbulent airplane

The impact will soon be felt in human activities. Meteorologist at Britain’s University of Reading, Paul Williams used the supercomputer at the American University of Princeton, one of the most powerful in the world, to study the impacts of global warming on the jet streams, these currents of air rapids located ten kilometers above sea level, where the airliners operate. After weeks of calculations, the verdict is clear: “Climate change gives more strength to these currents. (…) By 2050, you will spend twice as much time flying in turbulence. “While noting that currently, on average, turbulence affects 1% of the time flying commercial aircraft, the researcher points out that if the concentration of carbon dioxide increases exponentially in the coming years, “it is unclear how the aircraft will respond” to these very turbulent air masses.

Shipping will not be spared either since most gigantic waves are expected. “The shipping companies still face more huge waves,” some of which are 40 meters high, 20 meters whereas previously were exceptional, said Simon Wang. “This is only the beginning of climate change, because the oceans have a much greater impact by releasing more heat and more steam,” he warned. In the viewfinder specialists include, in particular melting Greenland ice sheet, which could grow up to six meters sea level, said Eric Brown, a researcher at Météo-France and author of a recent study on the subject. Faced with so much upheaval, Jennifer Vanos, biométéorologue at Texas Tech, said it is urgent to change the planning of cities and lifestyles based on this new reality in an attempt to protect people . Many particularly anxiety conclusions, while the city of Hiroshima, Japan, is affected by flows of deadly mud following heavy rains.