Experts issue warning about future weather patterns: 'All that is still going to happen, but ... it's going to be worse'

Climatologists warn the world will likely experience even more severe swings in weather and climate patterns going forward.

What's happening?

A Louisiana State University climate scientist said the severity of extreme weather events will only get worse. This is after a freezing polar vortex swept the state in late January. 

Climatologist Barry Keim explained to Audacy that extreme events like these result from wild temperature swings, which are facilitated by climate change. 

Keim told Audacy, "We probably will have to deal with more extreme weather going forward. That means more heavy rainfalls along with more periods of drought. That may sound contradictory, but it's not. It's just that when you get these big storms, you're going to get tremendous rainfall amounts in a shorter period of time."

Why are extreme weather events important?

If action is not taken now to address these events, they will only become more severe and destructive. Other climate scientists have issued similar observations about weather, climate, and temperature changes that are likely to shift dramatically in the future.

While journalist and climate tech investor Molly Wood emphasized in a blog post that "climate isn't weather, and weather isn't climate," she explained there is a correlation between rising temperatures and severe weather events that will ultimately lead to these becoming normalized as time goes on. 

Wood said in the post that "whatever was already going to happen, like droughts, floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves, snowstorms, rain — all that is still going to happen." She continued, "But when it happens, it's going to be worse. Also, extreme versions of what used to be normal weather are going to happen more often." This extreme weather presents clear danger to people's lives and livelihoods. 

Beyond the physical impacts of extreme weather, less obvious factors like interest rates can be affected. Rates are increasing even more than normal due to climate change bringing increased risk for providers, which means these events are also raising costs for businesses borrowing money. The availability of insurance has also been affected by disasters across the country.

What's being done about extreme weather events?

Scientists have already begun developing new technologies to limit the severity of these events, such as using generative AI to accurately predict flooding from upcoming hurricanes or even finding innovative ways to capture carbon pollution directly from the atmosphere. 

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However, lowering the amount of planet-warming pollution our society produces is the best strategy to protect us from more extreme weather moving forward. Beyond protecting against extreme weather, burning fewer dirty fuels will also keep our air cleaner too.

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