NASA's Eyes on Extreme Weather

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https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/news/2019/10/18/nasas-eyes-on-extreme-weather/

Source: By Ota Lutz, NASA-JPL. 

Excerpt: An extreme weather event is something that falls outside the realm of normal weather patterns. ...NASA uses airborne and space-based platforms, in conjunction with those from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, to monitor these events and the ways in which our changing climate is contributing to them. ...NASA makes this data available to the public, and students can use it to understand extreme weather events happening in their regions, learn more about weather and climate in general, and design plans for resilience and mitigation. ...Global climate change...has had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up and melting earlier in the year, precipitation patterns have changed, plant and animal habitat ranges have shifted, and trees are flowering sooner, exposing fruit blossoms to damaging erratic spring hail and deadly late frost. Effects that scientists had predicted in the past are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise, shifting storm patterns and longer, more intense heat waves. Some of the most visible and disruptive effects of global climate change are extreme weather and resulting disasters such as wildfires and flooding. ...Southwest United States and parts of Central and South America, Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia [are] experiencing more heat, drought and insect outbreaks that contribute to increased wildfires. ...coastal areas of the United States and many island nations, are experiencing flooding and salt water intrusion into drinking water wells as a result of sea level rise and storm surges from intense tropical storms. ...Midwestern and Southern United States, have been inundated with rain that has resulted in catastrophic flooding. Temperatures, rainfall, droughts, high-intensity hurricanes and severe flooding events all are increasing and projected to continue as the world's climate warms, according to the National Climate Assessment.... 

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