Understanding Where Planetary Warming Hits Hardest (credit: Climate Central)

DISCUSSION: When it comes to understanding the premises behind issues including (but certainly not limited to) planetary warming (and anomalies thereof), it is important to understand what the core impacts actually are.  In reality, when atmospheric and climate scientists discuss concerns pertaining to planetary warming, one of the chief concerns had by many is the primary impact which planetary heating will ultimately have on the world's oceans.  The reason for this concern is due to the fact that net increasing planetary warming has a direct impact of the heat content of the world's oceans.  This is a result of the fact that water has a much higher heat capacity than air and can hold much greater heat content for a much longer period of time.  Hence, during periods of time in which there is a net surplus of heat energy being generated by a combination of both natural and anthropogenic (i.e., human-caused) processes, there is a net increase in oceanic heat energy.  

During periods of time (i.e., years, decades, centuries, etc.) in which there is found to be a net increase in the amount of net oceanic heat energy, there is a consequentially increased threat for stronger oceanic-native storm systems (i.e., extra-tropical and/or tropical).  This is due to the fact that both tropical and extra-tropical cyclones  require a substantial amount of warm ocean water to help "fuel" their intensity along with provide more atmospheric water vapor to the lowest parts of atmosphere.  When the ocean is warmed significantly and particularly across critical parts of the Tropical Atlantic as well as within and near ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream, this allows low-pressure system which develop to take advantage of increased heat energy and increased low-level water vapor.  Therefore, with increased oceanic heat content, there are major concerns moving forward in time with respect to increased storm potential.  You can also note from the graphic attached above (courtesy of Climate Central) that there is also a notable percentage of heat energy stored in the deep ocean and then trace amounts of heat energy stored within the air, land, and ice around the world.

To learn more about other interesting global climate topics, be sure to click here!

© 2018 Meteorologist Jordan Rabinowitz