2015 AAAS Annual Meeting (12-16 February 2015)

February 12 - 16, 2015

Severe Weather in a Changing Climate: Informing Risk

The science is clear and convincing that climate change is happening. It is happening now, it is happening rapidly, and it is happening because of human activities. There are many indicators of these changes beyond surface temperature. The further changes in climate over the coming decades present major challenges for society. Especially important are changing trends in severe weather events resulting from the changing climate. Every weather event that happens in present day takes place in the context of these changes in the background climate system. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are significant trends occurring in some types of severe events. In general, the temperatures are higher, the sea level is higher, and strong storms are more intense. The drying of the subtropics and wetter conditions at mid-latitudes means that both droughts and floods are likely to be increasingly important in various parts of the United States and the rest of the world. This session uses the latest data analyses and modeling studies to examine the understanding of severe weather events in the changing climate, both for the U.S. and around the world, and what this means for us now as well as into the future. The session will emphasize risks associated with these extremes and on remaining uncertainties. The panel discussion will examine what society needs to do to prepare for the present and future risks posed by the changing climate.