Climate is measured by classifying the distribution of precipitation and temperature over long periods of time. These patterns vary over Earth surface and time: while having lasting effects on the geography and inhabitants of any one place on Earth. Many say we could soon see another climate change as the average temperature of Earth continues to rise.
Subtropical highs create severe dry climate patterns in the Northern part of Africa known as the Sahara Desert. It is here where some of the driest climates exist and the natural resource of water is beyond scarce and becoming less accessible as climate changes and temperatures rise.
The Northern interior of Africa is classified as a BWh and BWk climate. Characteristics of this climate type include BWh very hot summers, or BWk very cold. Both climate types have precipitation which stays between 2-10” a year. These subtropical High areas tend to be located between 25 and 30 degrees latitude.
Subtropical Highs are susceptible to dryer more arid conditions because it lies outside the wetter regions of the equator where the ITCZ drives convection resulting in rains that occurs daily. As rain falls near the equator the air is dried and pushed north creating the climates we see in the interior North Africa.
Climate change is occurring. Kenya and Ethiopia are already exibiting warmer weather and dryer season causing a lack of water and vegetation. Lake Turkana has been shrinking for 40 years, decreasing water supplies to its hundreds of thousands of recipiants. The lakes shores use to reach into Ethiopia but now reside in Kenya leaving people hungry and thirsty, fighting for their lives.These people rely on it for farming, pastralization and survival.
When The Water Ends: Africa’s Climate Conflicts
The spike in temperatures is resulting from trapped heat in the environment from green house gases that prevent short wave length of radiation to escape back into the atmosphere. Thus we are getting more energy input than we are exerting back out.
Unfortunately many do not realize the effects of changing climate. Thousands of people rely on Lake Turkana as a survival source. In the video, “ When the Water Ends,” a time lapse illustrates how serious this 2 degree increase is. Lake Turkana is evaporating at an incredible rate drying lands and turning tropical zones into more arid unproductive land, a process known as desertification, and resulting from climate change that is not predicted for the future but is happening NOW.
Http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/turkana-merille.htm
Http://www.unccd.int/publicingo/factsheets/showFS.php?number=11
