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Weather whiplash is the term applied when an area that experiences dry and wilting drought is also hit by relentless flooding.
Modern climate change has truly made this phenomenon worse and more unpredictable. As human-caused problems persist in the environment, the weather will continue to wreak havoc across the planet.
For instance, the United States has faced record heat waves and severe droughts in the summer, with about half the country experiencing at least moderate drought and areas like the West, Midwest, and Texas seeing "severe" or worse conditions.
The Park Fire, near Chico, California, is one example of the devastating effects of droughts. The fire has become the fourth-largest wildfire in California’s history, and has burned some 430,000 acres of land.
Despite the drought, the summer months have seen multiple "1,000-year" floods across the US, which means that such deluges have a 0.1% chance of occurring in any given year. Astonishingly, many of these floods hit regions suffering from drought conditions.
Dallas experienced a weather whiplash event, going from 67 straight days of drought and extreme heat to over a foot (30 cm) of rainfall in 12 hours. This sudden deluge caused widespread flooding, resulting in rescues, destruction, and up to US$6 billion in damages.
Kentucky faced torrential rains in 2022, leading to the death of more than 30 people and the displacement of thousands. The flooding caused over US$1 billion in damage.
Even amid a 1,200-year megadrought, monsoon rains hit Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico in late August 2022, resulting in flash floods that shut down highways, cut power, and flooded Las Vegas. These unpredictable shifts in weather are becoming increasingly common.
Recently, Death Valley (the driest location in the US) experienced a year's worth of rainfall within hours. The sudden flooding stranded hundreds, damaged roads, and disrupted daily life in an area typically known for its aridity.
Many scientists and meteorologists are pointing out the increasing trend of repeated weather whiplash, where areas lose all their water, reservoirs are emptied, and then they overflow with disastrous rainfall, only to empty again as a new drought sets in. This pattern repeats relentlessly.
The alternating wet and dry conditions exacerbate the risk of wildfires. Abundant rain promotes plant growth, which essentially becomes fuel when the landscape dries, creating an intense cycle of fire and regrowth.
Rising global temperatures are at the heart of this devastating weather, especially since warmer weather can hold more moisture. Warmer air holds more water vapor, drying out vegetation and leaving areas prone to fires; but when it rains, it pours!
For every degree Fahrenheit (0.6°C) of warming, the atmosphere can hold about 4% more water vapor, increasing the intensity of both droughts and downpours.
In areas where snow typically falls during winter, climate scientists expect warmer winters to produce more rain instead of snow. This could have a devastating impact on the water supply of entire cities, which often rely on gradual snowmelt to provide water during dry months.
There are also some surprising public health risks associated with weather whiplash. Valley fever, a fungal disease that thrives in extreme wet and dry conditions, has begun spreading more widely in California due to the state’s volatile weather.
Valley fever was once confined to Arizona and California’s lower San Joaquin Valley, but cases have surged in recent years, with a record 9,280 cases in 2023 alone. The first half of 2024 has already seen 5,000 cases in California, which puts the state on track for another record high.
Other parts of the world are also experiencing weather whiplash. In China's Sichuan province, an unprecedented heat wave dried up rivers and reservoirs, which was followed by torrential rains that led to massive flooding and forced 120,000 people to evacuate.
Western Europe has also faced historic drought that has dried up rivers, and torrential rains have caused deadly floods. The unpredictability of extreme weather, driven by climate change, has severely impacted nations such as England, France, Germany, and Belgium.
Pakistan has suffered the most extreme example of weather whiplash, with a heat wave pushing temperatures above 120°F (49°C) then followed by deadly monsoon rains. Millions were displaced, crops were destroyed, and over a third of the country was submerged in floodwaters.
Humans are not the only ones affected by extreme swings between droughts and floods. Various ecosystems worldwide have been completely fragmented as water supplies have been disrupted, leading to long-term damage.
Agriculture is irreparably damaged by drought and flooding since agriculture is either starved of water or drowned. Global food supplies are expected to face more frequent disruptions as weather whiplash intensifies, causing more hunger and food shortages.
The short answer: no. Experts agree that, even if carbon emissions are drastically reduced, the near-term impacts of climate change are inevitable. The climate patterns have been altered to such a degree that weather extremes are now the new normal.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report in 2022 stating with "high confidence" that the patterns of drought and extreme precipitation will intensify in the coming years. The climate crisis is expected to continue escalating, with severe consequences.
The current infrastructure in many countries is not equipped to handle the frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events.
To adapt to the new normal of weather whiplash, countries must invest in early-warning systems, upgrade infrastructure to withstand intense water events, and perhaps consider growing drought-resistant crops. Failure to prepare will lead to even more costly disasters.
Scientists predict that California is likely to experience a megaflood within the next few decades, potentially displacing up to 10 million people. This flood could be caused by an atmospheric river funneling water from the Pacific, with devastating consequences.
California has faced a megaflood before, in 1862, when 30 consecutive days of rain led to widespread floods across the state. The population was smaller then—the same event today could result in far greater destruction.
The predicted megaflood could cause up to US$1 trillion in damages, submerging entire cities and turning parts of the state into an inland sea. This would be one of the most costly natural disasters in US history.
Addressing weather whiplash and its impacts requires global cooperation. Nations need to work together to share knowledge, resources, and strategies if they hope to mitigate the long-term effects of climate change.
Sources: (National Geographic) (The Week) (UT Marine Science Institute) (Whole Life Carbon)
Around the world, places that were once scorched by relentless drought are suddenly being drowned by floods. These extreme weather shifts, dubbed "weather whiplash," are redrawing the face of our planet, and many people are struggling to come to terms with this new relationship that nature has created. This rapid cycling between extremes is a stark reminder of climate change’s growing impact, where stability is elusive and the future is unknown.
But what exactly is weather whiplash? Why is it happening, and can it be stopped? Click through this gallery to find out all there is to know about this devastating new reality.
Is 'weather whiplash' our new normal?
Vast areas of the world are getting hammered by contradicting disasters
LIFESTYLE Climate
Around the world, places that were once scorched by relentless drought are suddenly being drowned by floods. These extreme weather shifts, dubbed "weather whiplash," are redrawing the face of our planet, and many people are struggling to come to terms with this new relationship that nature has created. This rapid cycling between extremes is a stark reminder of climate change’s growing impact, where stability is elusive and the future is unknown.
But what exactly is weather whiplash? Why is it happening, and can it be stopped? Click through this gallery to find out all there is to know about this devastating new reality.