Global Warming and Tornadoes
Climate change known as global warming increases instability but decreases wind shear. A warmer world could alter the jet stream and produce lower jetstream winds, increase instability, and decrease wind shear. This would lead to fewer tornadoes across the globe. Energy without a strong jetstream would not make tornado-enhanced zones possible. However, strong whirlwinds (Dust Devils) along the surface of the earth could be the main intensification that would be developed through global warming. Dust devils form because of a spacial temperature difference of ground levels versus temperatures in the air (NOAA, n.d.). This would be a more favorable development of global warming and could be as destructive depending on the temperature difference as tornadoes.
Global Cooling and Tornadoes
On the other hand, global cooling would increase wind shear, enhance jet stream winds, and lower instability in some cases. However, if the temperature difference in global cooling is large enough between the surface and upper atmosphere instability would be increased enough to produce tornadoes. Even though the air is cold at the surface it is warmer than the air in the atmosphere. This has been shown in the past when snow was on the ground and tornadoes formed (Bing, n.d.). Jet stream winds in the wintertime have been shown to reach very strong miles-per-hour limits (NOAA, n.d.). . This being the case stronger and much larger tornadoes could be the outcome of global cooling.
Are Tornadoes Increasing or Decreasing Around the World?
In Europe before the 20th century, there were 77 notable tornadoes recorded in history. From the 20th century until 2023, there have been 260 notable tornadoes. No notable records were kept before the twentieth century in Asia on tornadoes. No notable records are available in North or South America on tornadoes before the twentieth century. Using the data from Europe on tornadoes before the twentieth century and the twentieth century until 2023 there has been a 237.6623376623% increase in notable tornadoes (Wikipedia, n.d.). Also, some geologists who have been involved in ice core drilling across Greenland have noted a climate process of global cooling for about 10,000 years until the Industrial Age Revolution (Bing, n.d.).
Conclusion
Climate change known as global warming increases instability but decreases wind shear. On the other hand, global cooling would increase wind shear, enhance jet stream winds, and lower instability in some cases. However, if the temperature difference in global cooling is large enough between the surface and upper atmosphere instability would be increased enough to produce tornadoes. Tornadoes during global warming would likely decrease, while tornadoes during global cooling would likely increase, become stronger, and possibly wider depending on if the temperature difference in global cooling is large enough between the surface and upper atmosphere to develop storms. Using the data from Europe on tornadoes before the twentieth century and the twentieth century until 2023 there has been a 237.6623376623% increase in notable tornadoes (Wikipedia, n.d.). Also, some geologists who have been involved in ice core drilling across Greenland have noted a climate process of global cooling for about 10,000 years until the Industrial Age Revolution (Bing, n.d.). Finally, the conclusion drawn from this data indicates more notable tornadoes are likely in Europe and around the world. This is because the overall data continues to indicate the world is cooling on average even with adding in the Industrial Age warming produced by man.
Sources:
Bing. (n.d.). Matt's Weather Rapport: Extremely Rare Tornado In Snow. Retrieved from:
tornadoes form with snow on the ground - Search Images (bing.com)
Bing. (n.d.). Global Temperature Past Millions of Years. Retrieved from:
10,000 years cooling of Earth - Search Images (bing.com)
NOAA. (n.d.) DUST DEVILS IN NORTHERN ARIZONA. Retrieved from:
NOAA. (n.d.). What is the Jetstream? Retrieved from:
What Is the Jet Stream? | NOAA SciJinks – All About Weather
Wikipedia. (n.d.). List of European tornadoes and tornado outbreaks. Retrieved from:
List of European tornadoes and tornado outbreaks - Wikipedia