What are extreme weather events?

The extreme weather events They are those that, due to their intensity, cause significant damage and even fatalities. Also included are those that are rare or inappropriate for the season we are in. Due to global warming, more and more people are talking about them, as they will become more and more intense, as reflected in a study published in The Guardian.

But what exactly are they?

Heat stress

The maximum limit of thermal stress that humans can withstand is a mean increase of 7ºC. This value may be higher or lower depending on the environmental conditions in which they have lived and, therefore, each person has got used to. For example, if you have always lived in an area where the temperature has always remained above 24ºC, it is most likely that if it rose to 31ºC you would decide to leave. Likewise, there are many regions that could be left uninhabited.

Tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclones, also known as hurricanes, typhoons or tropical storms, are characterized by having an area of ​​very low pressure, and with gusts of wind of at least 120km / h. They are the most destructive, and with increasing temperatures, they are becoming more dangerous. An example of this is Hurricane Patricia, which on October 23, 2015 became a category 5 hurricane, with winds of up to 356km / h.

Cold waves

They are characterized by a rapid drop in temperatures caused by invasion of a cold air mass, which has been created by air currents. They can range from a few hundred to thousands of square kilometers. Its consequences can also be devastating: loss of life (both human and other animals), significant damage to crops, and it can also cause damage to pipes if they are not properly insulated.

Heat waves

Heat wave in Europe in 2003

Heat waves are periods during which the temperature remains higher than normal for a long time in a more or less wide area. The consequences of these extreme meteorological phenomena are many and varied, among them we highlight: loss of crops due to the intense drought, decrease in livestock and symptoms such as general malaise in humans.

Extreme weather events are a very serious problem that can cause significant damage to the population. To avoid them, it is convenient to be attentive to the weather warnings.