Climate Change-Fueled Jet Stream Linked to Floods and Heatwaves: Study

"A slowdown in planetary winds triggered recent episodes of extreme weather, according to research by climatologist Michael Mann."

"When Michael Mann goes before Congress Wednesday to testify on global warming, he'll be armed with one more piece of evidence that greenhouse gases from fossil fuel burning are fundamentally altering the climate and leading to life-threatening and costly extreme weather.  

Mann is the lead author of a new study showing that the greenhouse gas buildup is slowing down planetary atmospheric waves, which results in regional summer climate extremes. That includes a deadly 2003 European heat wave, as well as extensive wildfires in Siberia and severe flooding in Pakistan that took place simultaneously in 2010.

Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Mann said he and his fellow scientists discovered, by studying extensive climate data, 'a particular type of jet stream pattern that is associated with many of the extreme events we've seen in recent years.' He added that there is every reason to expect 'these persistent weather events to become more prominent over time...with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations.'"

 Bob Berwyn reports for InsideClimate News March 27, 2017.