Global warming should in fact reduce extreme weather events, because the poles tend to warm more than the tropics, so reducing the temperature differential between the Equator and the poles, which is one of the engines that drive weather, also a warming climate reduces the difference between ocean surface temps and the atmosphere as oceans warm slower.
Nice one Jeff M you really made me laugh
Hurricanes are heat engines that depend on water vapor as their "fuel." Generally speaking, the warmer the sea surface temperature, the greater the amount of water vapor that will be available in the atmosphere above the water. There is a method of determining the "potential intensity" that a storm may acquire, and it depends mostly on the sea surface temperature. See the link below for a current plot:
http://wxmaps.org/pix/hurpot.html
Climate change could lead to an increase in hurricane intensity if sea surface temperatures are generally increased, with little changes in other factors that affect hurricane intensity. However, it's not clear that there will not be offsetting factors, such as an increase in vertical wind shear.
Vertical wind shear is a change in the speed or direction of winds with height. Hurricanes are weakened, even destroyed, by vertical wind shear, so if both sea surface temperature and vertical wind shear increase, it's not clear what effect warming will have on hurricane intensity.
Generally speaking, though, warmer waters can lead to both higher intensity and greater range for hurricanes, so the answer is B.
Note that everything I've said is independent of the source of the warming, it could be either natural or anthropogenic and it wouldn't make a difference.
Temperature differences between the surface and the upper troposphere is usually what establishes the increase or decrease of a hurricanes intensity. Wind shear also can have an effect on hurricanes.
I agree with Jim Z on this one. The closest answer you give is B.
In regards to D, I don't think the Temptations sang at very high latitudes. They mostly stayed around the middle latitudes (although a couple of them had high-pitched voices).
:-)
None of the above. The increase of temperature leads to another energy balance of the atmosphere. The thermal energy which is introduced into the atmosphere the can be "returned" by transforming it into mechanical, condensation and / or electrical energy. "Mechanical" means increase in velocity of the air, "condensation" is the increase in precipitation and "electrical" is lightning. "Evaporation of water into the atmosphere" is one of three factors to be taken into account regarding warming up the atmosphere. Hurricane intensity is another one which is connected but not a cause. The increase of water evaporation into the atmosphere would increase hurricane frequency and size because hurricanes origin from tropical clouds of water vapor developing into tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes on their way along the equator. The conversion of heat into mechanical energy increases the intensity of those hurricanes or transforms more tropical storms into hurricanes. It depends from the definition of "intensity" if the answer "B" is correct. If "intensity" is orientated on the scale by which Hurricanes are classified, it does not match because that scale is only taking into account wind velocity.
According to the IPCC SREX report and other reviews of the subject by scientists, there has been no increase in hurricanes' number or intensity due to global warming.
Now, the statement itself can still be valid, as any increase in hurricane intensity is itself by definition 'climate change'.
Wow. I hope this isn't a question at school but I suspect it is. I hope alarmists are proud of their attack on science. It appears it has succeeded in some circles.
It appears the only answer that makes any sense is B although I have sometimes felt more tempted at higher latitudes -- changes in attitudes, changes in latitudes. I think their usual answer is that it causes greater ocean temperature leading to more intense hurricanes. In fact there is almost no evidence that our CO2 emissions have led to increased hurricane intensity. It is just junk propaganda.
The question isn't really logical.
If hurricanes in general, change intensity either way, this constitutes a change in climate.
It is like asking if a change in your height has an effect on how tall you are.
"Why would climate change..."
What kind of climate change? Warmer? Cooler? Drier?
The question has built in conclusions. Why would "climate change" result in any of the results in the choices? It is implying that "climate change" CAUSES all five results and now we have to decide which of those results will result in increased hurricane intensity.
The question seems to assume that by "climate change" we mean warming conditions, but why should we assume THAT?
Let me guess: Public school?
"It is premature to conclude that human activities--and particularly greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming--have already had a detectable impact on Atlantic hurricane activity. That said, human activities may have already caused changes that are not yet detectable due to the small magnitude of the changes or observational limitations, or are not yet properly modeled (e.g., aerosol effects)." http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/global-warming-...
Thus, the correct answer is:
F. Don't know. There is not enough data due to "observational limitations" trying to detect the "small magnitude of the changes" which are "not yet properly modeled".
It's clear that whoever wrote that question is not fully knowledgeable of the science involved. I presume it wasn't you so no offense intended.
I'll go with D: Increased temptations at higher latitudes. (This isn't really the answer, I just found it funny the error that was made. Must have had your mind on something else ;))
F. No proof of climate change increasing hurricanes .
You are being brainwashed .
A.Increase in sea level due to melting of the polar ice caps
B.Increase evaporation of water into the atmosphere
C.Increase condensation of water falling as snow over the mainland
D.Increase temptations at higher latitudes
E.Increase conversion of grassland biomes to desert
B, it's the energy provided to hurricanes.
It doesn't. We have had hurricanes for centuries before Al Gore.
