Have you been wearing scarves and gloves more often than usual or still wearing those summer shorts? Whether you live on the East Coast, West Coast, or internationally, weather extremes have become the normal. Along with the palm trees (in the picture above), I would imagine a sunny day and beach. Instead, it is snowing! This is the largest snowstorm that Jerusalem has had since 1992. China is experiencing its coldest winter in the last 30 years and Brazil is in the middle of a heat spell. Unfortunately, these extremes are causing people to flee their homes and pipes to burst, and even worse, deaths.
Extreme weather, can be unexpected. Although it can’t be controlled, we can prepare for it and prevent it from reoccurring in the future. The real question is: Do we look to fix the damage that extreme weather has caused or look to prevent it from happening in the future? Changes in weather enhance the spreading of disease. Infectious diseases can spread more easily in hotter weather. This can have significant consequences in many countries. While it is a large environmental issue that our world is facing, I hope that as a community we can find ways to bring extreme weather and global warming to a halt.