Global warming is making our earth not just warmer but more humid too, according to a new study reported in the journal Nature. This could have widespread implications for weather conditions especially in tropical regions. Increased humidity would mean more rainstorms and fiercer cyclones. The study corroborates earlier findings of increased humidity levels.
In this study, researchers from the University of East Anglia and the UK Met Office’s Hadley Centre analyzed a dataset of humidity measurements made across the world. Data was collected from weather stations, ships and buoys. One of the researchers, Nathan Gillett, from the University of East Anglia, says the humidity is increasing in line with predictions.
“Over the 27-year period that we looked at, the increase is about 2 per cent in the actual amount of water vapour in the atmosphere,” he said.
“Looking into the future, we can expect much larger increases as the temperature continues to increase.”
A significant point made by the study is that most of it can be attributed to human activity. Human-induced changes, they calculate, have been the bigger factor behind the global humidity increase seen since 1975.
Water vapour is a green house gas and increased levels of water vapour in the air could further fuel temperature rises. It’s a vicious cycle which can only spell further weather woes. According to the model, while this will result in greater and more intense cyclones in tropical regions, the mid-latitude belts, including the southern part of Australia, are actually going to experience drying and drought conditions. The only way to prevent such an eventuality is to cut down drastically on green house gas emissions.
Via:BBC
Image:Goopstechnologies
