Specialists argue that the future will bring us extreme weather manifestations

Jul 11, 2012 07:25 GMT  ·  By

A researcher working with the Tel Aviv University recently warned that, should his predictions be correct, each and every degree Celsius that adds up to global average temperatures will be responsible for intensifying lightning activity by 10 per cent.

As well as this, it is his opinion that, because of this, although we might have to face fewer storms in the years to come, their violence will considerably increase.

In other words, extreme weather manifestations such as flash floods and forest fires might be just around the corner.

In order to determine exactly how climate change will impact on various parts of the world, the researchers ran a computer-based simulation, using weather phenomena we are already familiar with – such as El Nino – as points of reference.

Thus, as explained on the Tel Aviv University website, they found that the Mediterranean and the Southern US regions will be the first to notice a new and alarming pattern in terms of lightning activity.

Apparently, this is because hotter and drier environments foster such weather manifestations.

Interestingly enough, in spite of this increase in lightning activity, fewer storms occur in these areas as opposed to other parts of the world.

However, is seems that, precisely because they are so rare, storms in hot and dry regions more often than not lead to flash floods and damaged infrastructures as a result of heavy rainfall.

Given the fact that most of the wildfires in the US and even around the world are caused by lightning, it is expected that said changes in worldwide weather conditions will also lead to vast areas of land being burned down.

As global warming progresses and temperatures worldwide continue to increase, more and more parts of the world will be faced with having to experience intense heat waves and the violent thunderstorms now linked to them.