This blog contains information about Extreme Cold and Excessive Heat. It also has details about Extreme Cold Causes, Impacts and Safety Tips in detail.
What are Extreme Temperatures?
Extreme Temperatures refers to as significant deviations from normal conditions, encompassing both extreme Heat and Cold. This shows the extreme temperature events and triggers Natural Disasters.
The concept of Extreme Temperature shows that these temperatures are not common and far away from predicted and normal range of temperatures. Another fact about these Temperatures is that, they cast extreme impacts on Environment and Biodiversity at great extents. These temperatures make it difficult to survive on Earth, either they are humans or Biodiversity. Extreme hot and cold temperatures are one of the Extreme Impacts of Climate Changes. These temperatures lead to Biodiversity loss and life loss every year. Because extreme conditions of Weather and Temperature are very harmful for all types of Biodiversity on Earth.
In this blog, we will have a brief discussion on Extreme Cold and Hot Temperature along with their relation with Climate Change. This blog contains information about Extreme Cold and Excessive Heat.
What do you know about Excessive Heat?
Extreme Hot Temperature are characterized by High heat and Humidity with temperature exceeding from 90 Degrees Fahrenheit for at least two to three consecutive days. This time period can also be called as Heat waves. In this era the Environment is extremely hot and the Biodiversity exposed to it, is also harmed at great levels. Excessive Heat is a significant reason behind many Environmental issues in the present era. Following are some famous Heat waves occurred on the Earth:
Examples of Heat Waves:
Europe, 2003:
Claimed over 70,000 lives, mainly due to a lack of preparedness and cooling infrastructure.
South Asia, 2015:
Temperatures soared past 48°C in parts of India and Pakistan, resulting in thousands of fatalities.
North America, 2021:
The “heat dome” in the Pacific Northwest led to record-breaking temperatures, wildfires, and widespread damage.
These are few examples of Heat Waves occurred on the Earth. This blog contains information about Extreme Cold and Excessive Heat.
What are the Impacts of Heat Waves on Environment and Biodiversity?
Heat waves cast significant impacts on the Environment and Biodiversity. We should be aware of these impacts and should apply mitigation measures in order to reduce the extents of these impacts. Following are some Environmental Impacts of Heat Waves:
Water Shortage:
Heat waves increase the Water consumption at great levels due to extreme heat. This may lead to Water shortage in the regions exposed to heat waves. This can cause problems in irrigation and water supply.
Wildfires:
Wildfires are natural fires that are uncontrollable and spread over the forests. These fires can destroy a large number of Forest species and Forest Resources within hours or days. These occur due to extreme heat.
Droughts:
Drought is the condition in which an already dry area turns extremely dry and the evaporation is accelerated. The droughts lead to Food Insecurity, Water Scarcity and many other such crisis.
These were the impacts of Heat Waves on Environment. Following are the Impacts of Heat Waves on Biodiversity:
Death of Animals:
Heat waves makes the weather very hot and humid. The warm blooded animals face difficulties in migration and many of the animals are dead because of dehydration and extreme heat in the region.
Heat-related Illnesses:
Humans and animals are exposed to many heat related illnesses during the period of Heat waves. These includes heatstroke, Heat exhaustion, and Dehydration. Many people get severe diseases in Heat waves.
Air Quality Decline:
Heat waves also gives rise of Air Pollution because of warming gases and warming effects on the Environment. This deteriorates Air Quality and cause Respiratory disorders to humans and animals.
These are some of the Impacts of Heat Waves on Biodiversity. All of these impacts becomes extreme and most certain during the periods of Heat Waves. This blog contains information about Extreme Cold and Excessive Heat.
What is Extreme Cold?
Extreme Cold Temperature are the conditions that are below historical averages of normal Cold Temperature that occurs on Earth. They create extremely difficult Environments for Humans and Biodiversity to survive in the Extreme Cold.
The Extreme Cold temperatures are unbearable for the Humans and Biodiversity. These are very low temperatures as compared to average cold temperatures that occurs on Earth. Cold temperature comes with Hazardous Environmental Conditions as they can disturb the Biodiversity of Cold Regions and also disturb the Human Health and routine at great extends. People are stuck to a single house for days of weeks because they are unable to stand or move outside during Cold at its peak. If these weather and temperature conditions are prolonged, they lead to serious health issues in humans and becomes the cause of death of Biodiversity.
This blog is all about Extreme Cold its Causes and Impacts. This will be a complete guide about the Cold at its peak and its consequences on Environment, Biodiversity and Human life.
Can Climate Change cause Extreme Cold?
Climate Change refers to long-term variations in Temperature and Weather patterns of a region. When we talk about Extreme Temperatures and their relations with Climate Changes, we notice that all the drivers of Temperatures are linked with Climatic Processes. All the Natural Processes that regulates Climatic Changes or are its drivers, play significant roles in the occurrence of Extreme Temperatures. As in Extreme Cold, the components and drivers of Climate cause the temperature to become Extremely Cold in a region. Following are the Similar drivers of Extreme Cold and Climate Change:
- Ocean Currents
- Climate Patterns
- Weather Changes
- Radiational Cooling etc.
All of these reflects the components of Climate Changes and the drivers of Cold Temperatures at the same time. These show the relation between Climate Change can cause Colder temperature. This blog contains information about Extreme Cold and Excessive Heat.
What are the Major Causes of Extreme Cold?
The extreme temperatures occurs due to Natural Phenomena that occurs on the Earth’s surface. Some of them can be triggered by Anthropogenic Activities but some are far away from Human Activities. Following are some important Causes of Extreme Cold Temperature:
Climate Patterns:
Climate Patterns includes La Nina, El Nino and North Atlantic Oscillations. These are significant factors that becomes the cause of Extreme Cold on the Earth. They also impact cause the occurrence of unusual cold in certain regions of the Earth.
Ocean Currents:
Ocean Currents are basically the specific winds that comes from the oceans reflecting to the Ocean Temperatures. These are famous for changing the temperatures of coastal areas. Cold currents can become a significant cause of Extreme Cold in the regions near the ocean.
Snow and Ice Cover:
Snow and Ice cover reflects the warm radiations of sunlight and send all the heat back to the atmosphere, apply Earth’s Albedo Effect. This makes the region cooler than the other regions. Snow and ice are visible cause of Extreme Cold.
Radiational Cooling:
This occurs during the clear nights when there is little wind with heat, then heat from the Earth’s surface radiates through space. These conditions radiates all the heat in the region, and transform it to extreme cold temperatures instantly.
Arctic Air Masses:
Arctic Air Masses are large volumes of Cold air that originates in the Arctic regions and flow to the other regions at lower altitudes. These are famous for instantly dropping the temperature of the region from where these Air Masses pass through.
Polar Vortex:
These are large areas of low pressure and cold air surrounding the Earth’s poles. The Polar Vortex becomes weak and it push the cold air down the mid-altitude causing extreme change in temperature and lead to Extreme Cold in the region.
High Altitudes:
Higher Altitude are tend to be more colder than the lower altitudes because of lower air pressure. It leads to the stopping of cold winds in the higher regions while in lower region winds takes away the cold air out. This leads to extreme cold in High Altitudes.
Cold-air damming:
Cold-air damming can be a significant reason of Extreme cold in a region. We can define it as the weather condition in which the cold air get trapped against a mountain range. It seems like freezing rain and it rapidly lowers the temperature to the extreme levels of cold.
Lake-effect Snow:
This is a weather phenomena that occurs when dry and cold air moves towards relatively warmer waters of a larger lakes. This cold air evaporates and become clouds and eventually it snow. It rapidly lowers the temperature of the relative region.
Arctic Amplification:
The Arctic is warming 2-3 times faster than the rest of the planet, a phenomenon called Arctic amplification. This disrupts:
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Atmospheric circulation patterns
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Ocean currents (e.g., Gulf Stream slowdown)
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Snow and ice cover, which normally reflect sunlight
These are some of the Major Causes of Extreme Cold. All of them are Natural phenomena that leads to Extreme Cold. This blog contains information about Extreme Cold and Excessive Heat.
What are the Impacts of Extreme Cold on the Environment?
Extreme temperatures lead to many Environmental Problems and crisis. Some of the Environmental Impacts of Extreme Cold:
Vegetation Damage:
Extreme cold temperatures are not suitable for vegetation and green spaces. The fact behind it is that plants can bear a range of hot and cold temperatures in the Environment otherwise they are damaged. Similarly due to Extreme Cold temperature, the vegetation may damage or freeze and then it is never restored even after the end of Extreme cold period.
Wildlife Challenges:
Wildlife lives in the open Environments and are mostly found in wild areas. Animals can also survive in a specific range of temperature. When the extreme temperatures are exposed to wildlife, it collapses as they are unable to stay fit in the Environment. These may face many challenges such as food supply and water supply for the wildlife and it also harm the Habitats of Wildlife at great extent.
Infrastructure Damage:
Extreme Cold Temperatures can freeze each and everything present in the cold regions. It can freeze the pipelines, damage roads and cast severe impacts on different types of Infrastructure. Extreme cold temperature can cause the breakage of windows and glass walls. When the extreme cold period is gone, they are already damaged and leads to great Economic Loss.
Soil and Agriculture:
The cold temperatures may freeze the soil particles and when they are melted, these soil particles are separated from each other causing Soil damage and it also promotes Soil Erosion. In the same way, when soil is harmed or damaged, the Agriculture is also effected and no agricultural activities can be performed in the extreme cold. This leads to Environmental damage and Economic loss.
Aquatic Ecosystems:
Aquatic Ecosystems are harshly damaged by Extreme Cold Temperatures. These can cause freezing of surface water that restricts sunlight and food to enter into the Aquatic Environment. This condition can freeze the aquatic animals into their habitats, or can cause different diseases to the Aquatic animals and may eventually result in their death.
Infrastructure Vulnerability:
Extreme weather patterns such as Extreme cold, results in infrastructure vulnerability including power grid failure, communication disruption and infrastructure damages. This may result in extreme disturbance in social life and can destroy the surroundings and workplaces.
These are some of the Environmental Impacts of Extreme Cold. They are very harsh on the Environmental Conditions and effect the Biodiversity present in the Ecosystem. This blog contains information about Extreme Cold and Excessive Heat.
What are the Impacts of Extreme Cold on Humans?
There are many harmful impacts of Extreme Cold on Human Life. Following are some of the Impacts of Extreme Cold on Human Life:
Hypothermia:
Hypothermia is a health condition that occurs when the body temperature drops to less than 95 degree Fahrenheit. This shows up with the symptoms including uncontrollable shivering, Memory loss, Slurred speech etc. It is an extreme condition that occurs due to extreme cold temperatures in the region.
Frostbite risks:
Frostbite is a type of tissue damage as the result of exposure to Extreme Cold. This includes loss of feeling, skin turning red, discoloration of the skin and turning black etc. Frostbite can be extremely painful and can also result in many of the skin damaging symptoms in the Extreme Cold.
Difficulty in Travelling:
The Extreme Cold temperatures can include Snow storms, high speed winds and low visibility on the roads. This creates many problems for humans to travel from one place to another. Because the freezing cold weather don’t let them to move outside. People gets stuck in a single location for days or weeks. Inappropriate heater use can produce CO and cause sudden death.
Risk of Injuries and Accidents:
Extreme Cold temperature can make the Environments vulnerable and increase the risks of Injuries and Accidents. The floor is slippery and everything is wet including the shoes, clothes and other things present around you. There is a higher risks of slips and falls that leads to Injuries and Accidents.
Wind-chill:
Wind-chill is a condition in which there is a sensation of cold that is produced by wind for a given ambient air temperature on exposed skin. This has extreme impacts on the skin that is open to the cold air. It removes the heat from the body faster, that can cause the human body to get exposed to the wind temperature without heat protection.
These are some of the Impacts of Extreme Cold on the Human Life and Human Health. This blog contains information about Extreme Cold and Excessive Heat.
What are some Case Studies of Extreme Cold Weather?
Following are some recent case studies of Extreme Cold in different parts of the world:
The Texas Deep Freeze:
In February 2021, poor solar vortex allowed Arctic air to enter in southern US. This caused freezing weather in Texas and other nearby areas. It resulted in $195 billion economic loss and 246 deaths in the target region.
The Siberian Heat wave and Subsequent Siberia Extreme Cold:
In 2020-2021 the record arctic warming of 38 degree centigrade was seen in June. Then extreme cold wave of about -58 degree centigrade was recorded in January 2021. This was a great climatic crisis of the history in the same region.
The 2023 UK Extreme Cold:
Siberian Air masses hit UK like a beast from the East 2023. This resulted in huge energy crisis in whole UK region. The urban areas were unprepared for this weather and there was a high heating demand that was very difficult to supply.
The India Extreme Cold 2022:
North India faced a rare cold due to western differences. This caused homeless deaths, crop failure and frozen tracks disrupted transportation. It was a warning that even Tropical regions are not safe from Extreme cold in the present time.
These are some of the recent case studies of Extreme Cold in the world.
What are Extreme Cold Safety Tips?
Following are some of the precautions to manage and survive Extreme Cold weather:
Establish Environmental Justice:
Environmental Justice refers to the mitigation measures to make a secure, clean and healthy environment for every person on Earth. In the case of Extreme Cold, this justice means that low-income communities and people who are vulnerable in the regions of cold at its peak, must have access to better resources. This will be life-saving for the lower-middle class in freezing weather. It will also decrease the fatalities and health conditions in the populations.
Safety Guidance for Extreme Cold:
Safety guidance of Colder temperatures include the following steps:
- The exposure to the outer environment must be in limits or Stay indoor.
- You must be covered with enough warm clothing layers to avoid cold and fever.
- Travelling should be avoided and if important, you should be very careful though the drive.
- Drink hot drinks such as coffee, tea and green tea to feel warm.
- Make you home insulation powerful against weather.
- Never go out with you hands or feet open to the weather. etc.
These are some of the safety guidelines to prevent extreme impacts of Cold weather.
Precautions for Health conditions:
You can be prone to different health conditions during extreme cold. So you should stay hydrated, eat well and also never underestimate the minor symptoms of flu and cold. Keep your skin hydrated because the skin becomes do dry. You should also check on others to avoid any health emergencies in the cold weather.
Emergency Communication Planning:
Communication planning for any emergency situation should be considered prior in extreme weather conditions. There could be various emergencies such as medical emergency, evacuation emergency or arranging shelters for people in trouble. Emergency planning can prove useful for helping people and provide them shelter without wasting time. Early warning systems must be used to avoid extreme damages.
These are the precautions for the management of Extreme Cold in cold regions around the world.
Future of Extreme Cold:
The future prediction about colder weather and climate warns us that we will face more extreme cold and hot weathers in the near future. There would be more climatic disasters that may be great cause of life loss, infrastructure damage and many other environmental crisis. In order to reduce extreme weathers, we must take preventive measures to prevent Global Warming and Global cooling by restricting and banning harmful human activities. This will work both ways to save the Earth.
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