Atmospheric Rivers

Since late December 2022, 11 atmospheric rivers have pounded California, making it an unusually wet winter.

About atmospheric rivers

The Long, slender bands of moisture in the air that travel from the tropics to higher latitudes are known as atmospheric rivers.
When the moisture goes inland from the ocean and climbs over the mountains, it produces rain and snowfall. Despite the fact that many fire-weary Westerners anticipate these downpours, atmospheric rivers can also result in other catastrophes like catastrophic flooding and debris flows.

There are atmospheric rivers all over the planet, and they have an impact on the west coastlines of the major land masses, including Portugal, Western Europe, Chile, and South Africa.
They come in a variety of flavours, with the so-called "Pineapple Express" storms that transport moisture from Hawaii to the US West Coast just one of them.
In the 1960s, storm tracks that began close to Hawaii and brought warm water vapour to the coast of North America were dubbed the "Pineapple Express" by meteorologists.
Mostly found in the extratropical North Pacific/Atlantic, Southeast Pacific, and South Atlantic oceans, atmospheric rivers frequently make landfall on the west coastlines of North and South America. Greenland, Antarctica, and the south-central United States are other areas where atmospheric rivers make ashore.

Formation:

Over tropical areas is where atmospheric rivers typically start. Ocean water evaporates and rises into the atmosphere as a result of warm temperatures. To move the water vapour through the atmosphere, there must be strong winds
The water vapour ascends higher into the atmosphere as atmospheric rivers pass over land. Water droplets form as it cools, and they eventually fall as precipitation.

Significance

AR (Atmoshperic river )-related heavy rainfall may result in mudslides, landslides, and flooding.
Moreover, they have the potential to create drought-like conditions and impair the water supply.
Not all atmospheric rivers are destructive; the majority are frail systems that frequently produce helpful precipitation or snow that is essential to the water supply.
Particularly in the mid-latitudes, climate change is predicted to increase the frequency and intensity of ARs in several parts of the world.
In terms of managing water supplies, preventing flooding, and other aspects of public policy, this might have a big impact.

Source: Indian Express

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