Rough sea and waves crashing with heavy rainfall (Credit: Getty Images). … TOPICS: Hurricane Rainfall Climate change Storm surge Ocean warming Moisture Tropical systems Greenhouse gases (WPDE) — The consistently changing climate is causing many aspects of Earth’s atmosphere and environment to change with it. The biggest factor is the planet’s overall temperature rising. This overall temperature is not necessarily the temperature we feel fluctuate day to day, but the global average temperature is what is tracked to detect warming on Earth. Over a period of time, this warming is noted as climatic warming. The warming of the Earth’s average temperature overall illustrates extra heat that would not be around without the bump in greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere, caused by burning fossil fuels. This extra heat has to go somewhere given how the planet budgets things, meaning it is absorbed by aspects of the atmosphere and environment. Only seven percent of this added warming is being absorbed by the land, air, and ice. Due to fossil fuel burning, creating an excess greenhouse gases, more warming is occurring and this warming has to go somewhere in Earth’s attempt to equal everything out. The oceans are absorbing most of this extra heat. The oceans are absorbing the rest of this extra heat, causing the oceans to warm as a result. The upper layers of the ocean, or those near the surface, are warming the most. However, deeper layers of the ocean are also experiencing warming. READ MORE: What to expect from Hurricane Helene across Carolinas ahead of Thursday night landfall Warming in the oceans means a decrease in sea ice over time, adding to ocean levels. As warming occurs in the oceans, there is more warm air available, which means more moisture. Over time, this is forecast […]