A study on temperature changes has revealed a troubling finding about European weather patterns.
What's happening?
According to the study published in the journal Nature Communications, a team led by researchers from Royal Holloway, University of London, researched the historical impact of latitudinal temperature gradients on European summers.
LTGs refer to variations in temperature depending on how far north or south of the equator you are.
What the researchers found was a direct connection between the length of European summers and the strength of the LTG at a time and place. Specifically, if the LTG is reduced by 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), it would add 42 days of summer weather in Europe by 2100 — as detailed in a university release.
Why is a weakened LTG concerning?
LTG is a relatively simple principle. It helps define how temperature reduces as you move toward the poles and away from the equator.
If it's thrown off by Arctic Amplification — or "the faster warming of the Arctic compared to the global average," as described in the study — and extends European summer weather, it could also put the global climate and weather patterns in disarray.
Things like farming, particularly in Europe, could be affected. Many agricultural practices run on tight schedules of weather, with heat and cold both essential to growing patterns and harvest times.
A 42-day extension of summer weather, and potential drought conditions that could come with it, could devastate European crops.
As detailed in the university report, the researchers used sediments from the bottoms of European lakes as records of changes dating back thousands of years — and to make projections about how a weakened LTG could affect Europe in the future.
"When the temperature contrast between the Arctic and mid-latitudes weakens, Europe's summer effectively expands. Our findings show this isn't just a modern phenomenon; it's a recurring feature of Earth's climate system," said Dr. Laura Boyall, a study author. "But what's different now is the speed, cause and intensity of change."
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Always 😷 What's being done about these weather pattern changes?
Scientists are already scrambling to develop ways to contend with changing weather in response to our warming planet.
Drought-resistant lettuce and broccoli are already being developed, while the benefits of staple crops like sorghum are being championed amid drier conditions. Researchers have also tried to genetically modify crops to make them more drought-resistant.
Beyond that, our best hope of preventing catastrophic weather shifts is to reduce carbon pollution to slow the rate of global temperature rise.
Swapping a gas-guzzling car for an electric one or installing solar panels on your home, for example, can go a long way toward reducing your polluting impact.
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