By Agence France-Presse, adapted by the Newsela staff
Scientists say the don’t know everything about how climate change affects hurricanes. But, what they do know is enough to worry them.
Burning fossil fuels creates greenhouse gasses. Fossil fuels are natural fuels like oil, gas, and wood. The gasses, in turn, cause the Earth’s temperature to rise. It is called climate change. Scientists say the magnifying effect of sea level rise, warming oceans, and hotter air is simple science. All are results of climate change. They also have seen faster shifts in storms’ power, such as Hurricane Harvey in Texas. A sudden change turned Harvey from a Category 2 hurricane to a Category 5, on a scale of 5.
Detailed Data on Hurricanes is Missing
What’s missing is a detailed record of past hurricanes. Climate scientists need decades of measurements. This would help them determine how much people have played a part in global warming.
“It is awfully difficult to see climate change in historical data so far because hurricanes are fairly rare,” Kerry Emanuel said. He is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Experts agree that climate change could make tropical storms more powerful. The storms are known around the world as cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons. But, scientists are puzzled, for now, by a lack of information.
Just because the information is not clear yet doesn’t mean that the changes haven’t been occurring, said James Kossin. He is a scientist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Center for Weather and Climate in Madison, Wisconsin. Kossin figured out that cyclones have been drifting toward the north and south poles. Other hurricane experts call it the clearest sign so far that climate change has already had an effect. Hurricanes form where the ocean is warm. This is usually near the equator. But, climate change is heating up other parts of the ocean. This is why cyclones are drifting toward areas in the north and south poles that weren’t warm before.
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Part 1: Which statement about summaries is true?(1 point)
Responses
A summary should always be objective.
A summary should always be objective.
A summary focuses mostly around minor details from a text.
A summary focuses mostly around minor details from a text.
Summaries may include an author's personal opinion.
Summaries may include an author's personal opinion.
Summaries always include direct quotes from the text
Summaries always include direct quotes from the text
Question 2
Part 2: Which of the following is the most effective summary of the passage above?(1 point)
Responses
Scienstists, like James Kossing, who works at the U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Center for Weather and Climate in Madison, Wisconsin, figured out that tropical storms are occurring closers to the Earth's poles.
Scienstists, like James Kossing, who works at the U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Center for Weather and Climate in Madison, Wisconsin, figured out that tropical storms are occurring closers to the Earth's poles.
Climate change is very bad for our planet.
Climate change is very bad for our planet.
There is still a lot to learn about tropical storms, such as cyclones and hurricanes, but, based on what they do know, scientists are worried that the impact of climate change will make these storms more powerful in the coming years.
There is still a lot to learn about tropical storms, such as cyclones and hurricanes, but, based on what they do know, scientists are worried that the impact of climate change will make these storms more powerful in the coming years.
According to the article, "Experts agree that climate change could make tropical storms more powerful."
According to the article, "Experts agree that climate change could make tropical storms more powerful."
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1 answer
Part 1: Which statement about summaries is true?
A summary should always be objective.
Part 2: Which of the following is the most effective summary of the passage above?
There is still a lot to learn about tropical storms, such as cyclones and hurricanes, but, based on what they do know, scientists are worried that the impact of climate change will make these storms more powerful in the coming years.
3 answers
51 answers
3 answers
1 answer