Climate Change Impacts and Mitigation

Some interesting things about climate change in Central America is about tropical convection.  A warm season precipitation has been dominate in Central and South America.  Over the past few decades the Amazon rain forest has had more rain than usual.  Displacement of the  South Atlantic Convergence Zone has given this region a positive precipitation trend.  It shows how some changes can actually help other areas of the world.  Information from: http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/ch11s11-6-1.html

Rising temperatures is a big issue in Central America.  The temperature is going to rise which will cause plants to die out from lack of water.  Temperature will also cause certain crops to fail and livestock productivity to decline.  Warmer sea water temperatures will harm to coral living in this area.  Sea levels are projected to rise causing more flooding.  Warmer temperatures will also effect precipitation and how much water is readily available for our use.  Information from http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/spmsspm-c-11-latin-america.html

There are many different ways climate change effects Central America.  There has been changes in precipitation along with higher temperatures.  There is more severe weather and some of the severe weather is not usual for this area.   There is also a risk that species that will go extinct from higher temperatures.  There is also a concern  for the amount of water readily available in the future.  Information from http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch13s13-es.html

 I think the most interesting threat is severe weather in recent years.  This is because when severe weather hits it usually affects everyone and there is nothing you can do to stop it.  Flooding can destroy homes and lives and will cost a lot of money for rebuilding.  On the other hand droughts will cause a lack of food and water for the people.  Central America has also seen an increase in hurricanes and even some tornadoes which is no usual for this area of the world.  The increase of severe weather will always have a negative impact on the population it affects and there isn't much anyone can do to stop it.

This is the rain totals for El Salvador in a 10 day period in 2011 due to warming waters. Picture from: climate

picture from here: el salvador

Severe Weather in El Salvador

Tornadoes go through different stages of development.  First the vortex tube, a rotating body of air at the ground, forms from vertical wind shear.  Vertical wind shear is change in wind with height.  Next the horizontal rotating air is lifted off the ground by the updraft of a thunderstorm.  Once the horizontal rotating air is lifted vertically it is considered to be a mesocyclone.  Finally the mesocyclone is fully developed in the updraft of a thunderstorm and then a tornado will form.

In the United States tornadoes typically flow from southwest to northeast.  This is because thunderstorms more in this direction due to air flow and tornadoes flow the path of thunderstorms.  Tornadoes have occurred in El Salvador but are very rare.  The United States records an average of over 1000 tornadoes per year (noaa.gov).  El Salvador, however, averages zero tornadoes each year (ustornadoes.com).

photo from island.net

Above is a picture of tornado occurrences globally.  El Salvador is in the region where there is no orange.  This is because most tornadoes occur in latitudes 30-60 N and S.  Obviously there is always exceptions but El Salvador doesn't usually have the weather conditions needed for tornadoes to occur.

noaa.gov

Above is the annual tornado count since 1950.  The statistics have gone up and seem to keep increasing most years.  This might not actually be the case because a lot has changed since 1950.  First, we have better technology to predict and track storms.  We are much more accurate in predictions and forecasting severe weather more accurately.  Secondly, the United States has developed more and more over the years and what could have been farm land a few years ago can now be homes.  It is very possible that tornadoes occurred but were not reported and recorded.

Hurricanes are another form of severe weather.  They need three basic things in order to form.  First, a warm ocean temperature because the storm needs to evaporate a lot of warm water to form.  Second, the water needs to be warm deep in the ocean.  This is because when the wind is moving the water the layers deeper down are still warm enough to produce the storm.  Third, the coriolis force is needed to create the spinning.  

Hurricanes are called different things in different places.  The storm is called a hurricane in the Atlantic and East Pacific.  The storm is called cyclones in the Indian Ocean near Australia.  The other name they have is typhoon and they use this term off the coast of China and and Indonesia.

learnnc.org

In the United States hurricanes travel from east to west.  Once they hit land they travel north.  When hurricanes are over water they are directed east to west by trade winds and once they move into higher latitudes they are moved by the westerly winds.

Hurricanes do occur in El Salvador.  On average there are 6.1 hurricanes in the United States but only an average of 1.74 hurricanes make landfall each year (noaa.org).   There has only been 15 hurricanes recorded in El Salvador.  That is less than 1 hurricane per year.

Daily Weather in San Salvador

The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador.  We will be looking at the five day forecast of San Salvador from the dates of Wednesday March 19th to Sunday March 23.  The forecasted high for March 19th is 93 degrees F and the low is 69 degrees F with 0% precipitation.  For March 20th, the high is 94 degrees F and the low is 69 degrees F with 0% precipitation.  For Friday March 21st, the high is 95 degrees F and the low is 68 degrees F with 0% precipitation.  On March 22nd, the high is 92 degrees F and the low is 69 degrees F with 0% precipitation.  On Sunday March 23rd, the high is 95 degrees F and the low is 70 degrees F with 0% precipitation (wunderground.com).

Screenshot from wunderground.com

As we see in this satellite image above there isn't much happening in this area of central America.  There are no clouds anywhere near the country or on the ocean.  Around San Salvador there is mostly green, this is because El Salvador is very tropical and has many rain forests.  There are also mountains not to far away as well.  There aren't any rivers or lakes nearby but the ocean isn't too far way from San Salvador.

  

This map shows Mexico and Central America.  In Mexico you can see a cold front.  It is connected to a stationary front.  There are also 1016 mb and 1012 mb isobars that go through Mexico and Central America.                                                                                                                                     

This is the full map of Central America.  From this map we see no fronts or high or low pressure systems anywhere near Central America.  There are just isobars that are 1012 mb and 1008 mb.  This map is consistent with the local weather in San Salvador.                                                                        

Global and Local Winds in El Salvador

El Salvador is located is in Central America which is in the Northern Hemisphere.  El Salvador is located 13.6689 N and 88.8661 W.  According the the three cell model, El Salvador is located in the Hadley Cell.  Since El Salvador is in the Hadley Cell it is effected by trade winds.  The trade winds blow from east to west so winds in this cell are easterly winds.  El Salvador is close to the equatorial low.  It is not exactly around there since El Salvador's latitude is roughly 14 degree north it is closest to the equator.  Since El Salvador is located near the equatorial low it is also close to doldrums.

Areas in the Hadley Cell are effected by trade winds.  El Salvador is close to the equator so it has a nice tropical climate.  It has typically close as the same weather as Hawaii, except Hawaii is a higher latitude.  El Savador's tropical climate always has pretty consistent warm weather and with not too much rain.  The warm air rises from the equator and is pushed northward.  It then sinks and flows back to the equator giving El Salvador its warm tropical climate.

El Salvador has a lot of volcanoes and two main mountain ranges.  There are five types of breezes and winds associated with mountains.  They are mountain breezes, valley breezes, Chinook winds or Foehn winds (depending on your geographic location), Katabatic winds or fall winds, and Santa Ana winds.  El Salvador experiences mountain and valley breezes.  El Salvador is located on the coast of Central America.  There are two types of breezes associated with coastline, they are sea breezes and land breezes.  El Salvador experiences both sea and land breezes.

Typical Weather and Tourism in El Salvador

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year.  El Salvador is in the northern hemisphere so the winter solstice is on December 22nd.  The average maximum temperature for December is 85 degrees.  The average minimum temperature is 59 degrees.    The typical precipitation during December is just rain.

On the other hand the summer solstice is the longest day of the year.  The summer solstice is on June 21st.  The average maximum temperature for June is 85.1 degrees.  The average minimum temperature in June is 67.3 degrees.  The typical precipitation during June is rain.  The main form of precipitation in El Salvador is rain.  June is also part of El Salvador's rainy season.

During the equinox the day is 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nighttime. The Spring Equinox is on March 21th.    The average maximum temperature is March is 89.6 degrees.  The average minimum temperature in March is 63.9 degrees.  The typical form of precipitation during March is rain.

The Autumnal Equinox is on September 22nd.  The reason that there is equal amounts of daylight and nighttime during the equinox is because the earth is not tilled towards or away from the sun.  The average maximum temperature in September is 84.2 degrees.  The average minimum temperature in September is 66.9 degrees.  The typical form of precipitation during September is rain.  September is during El Salvador's rainy season so during this time of the year there is the most rain.

Want adventure? Come to El Salvador.

picture from telegraph.co.uk

 If you are going to be travelling to El Salvador for vacation I would recommend going during the summer solstice.  You will have a lot of sunlight and nice warm weather.  During the summer I would suggest going to El Jocotal Lagoon.  This lagoon includes some of the biggest group of water birds in El Salvador.  I would also suggest going to El Impossible National Park.  This park is considered to be one of the last rain forests by the coast of  the Mesoamerican Pacific.  It also have a wide variation of plants and animals.  There are many other incredible things you can do in El Salvador such as go to historical sites or visit some of the many volcanoes.  El Salvador is a very tropical place and it a very good place to enjoy nature.

Temperature Controls in the city of San Salvador in El Salvador

Temperature controls are different reasons why the climate of an area is the way it is.  The main temperature controls are differential heating, ocean currents, altitude, geographic location, and cloud cover and albedo.  Looking at the different ways temperature is affected there are certain controls that have a definite impact on El Salvador's climate and culture.  We will be specifically looking at the capital city of El Salvador.

The capital of El Salvador is San Salvador and has a latitude of  13° 42' North and a longitude of 89° 12' West (World Clock). San Salvador generally has a warm tropical climate but the temperature varies.  The warmest month is April with an average monthly temperature 76.1 degrees.  The coldest month is December with an average monthly temperature of 71.6 degrees.  The annual range of temperature is about 73.9 degrees (World Weather).  

One of the main temperature controls of San Salvador is ocean currents.  El Salvador is on the coast of Central America and therefore the ocean plays a big role in its climate.  Warm water comes up from the equator and gives the country its warm tropical climate.  If there weren't ocean currents the climate of San Salvador would be cooler.

On the other hand, altitude does not have too much affect on climate.  San Salvador elevation is 2,238 ft.  This is about the elevation of Eagle Mountain in Minnesota.  When there is a increase in altitude there is a decrease in temperature because of a decrease in pressure.  Although this is true there is not a big change in temperature and San Salvador has close to the same temperature as other places in El Salvador.  San Salvador does experience more rainfall because of the elevation.

Climate change is a major topic right now.  There are many things that cause climate change such as natural disasters.  In El Salvador hurricanes, earthquakes, droughts, and volcano eruptions effect the climate.  In 2008 and 2009 El Salvador experienced droughts followed by flooding in 2010 and 2011 (weadapt.org).  Since the ocean is getting warmer and ice caps are melting it is causing the sea level to rise which can be a big problem with flooding for this coastal country.  Climate change has actually been a very serious topic in El Salvador over the past few years and the government is coming up with different solutions to help with their problems.  The main problems are with farming conditions and the need for fresh water.

El Salvador depends on its climate for its farming industry.  Knowing what temperature controls affect its climate and how they may change it is very important.  In El Salvador's case, it is very important to know the changing climates to be able to determine how their farming industry and just people's lives in general will be affected.