Extreme Weather: What is the Amount of Risk We Can Tolerate? — November 12, 2013

Extreme Weather: What is the Amount of Risk We Can Tolerate?

Is the frequency of extreme weather events a sign that global warming is gaining pace and exceeding predictions?

Every time there is an extreme weather event, such as the super-typhoon Haiyan that recently ravaged the Philippines, this question comes up:

Is the frequency of extreme weather events a sign that global warming is gaining pace and exceeding predictions?

Not so much, says NASA climate scientist Bill Patzert, who describes the scientific consensus as being that climate change has has a small fingerprint, as opposed to a large footprint, on extreme weather events. However, looking into the future, Patzert says that climate change will have a greater impact.

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