The recent "Habagat" that wreaked havoc to a large part of Luzon, particularly Metro Manila and Central Luzon was not a typhoon. It was just the normal seasonal wind coming from the southwest called southwest monsoon induced by low pressure areas.
The SW monsoon wind carries heat and water vapor which cause rain along its path. In normal times, these "habagat" rains are beneficial specially to our farmers. But the recent "Habagat" we recently experienced was an extended one, which brought continuous and heavy rainfall causing severe and extensive flooding.
These abnormal weathers that we have been experiencing these past years is brought about by what scientists call the"climate change". Whether we accept it or not, "climate change" is already a reality that we have to lived with in the coming years or maybe centuries. Climatologists say that the big factor causing climate change is the increasing carbon footprint of our planet, which means that there is an increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases resulting to global warming (temperature increase of the earth ).
A carbon footprint is defined as:
The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Definition Source : http://timeforchange.org/what-is-a-carbon-footprint-definition
The increase in earth's temperature is melting polar ice, increasing ocean and sea levels, and also changing their temperatures. The resulting change in temperature of the oceans and air is what is causing these erratic weather disturbances we are experiencing.
Agriculturist are saying too, that the increase in global temperature is also reducing harvests, and changing the seasons of crops and fruits. Eventually, this would severely affect our food supply.
For laymen like most of us, all these changes and effects of "climate change" and global warming at that, are quite complicated for us to understand completely. But it is necessary for us to understand at least, the basic reason of global warming and its immediate effects that are already affecting us.
We just hope that the changes in our climate is not yet permanent and irreversible. And let us do our share in helping reduce the carbon footprint of our planet. In the mean time, we have to learn adapt our lives to the changing weather and to be prepared to its effects and what it would bring to us.
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| Southwest Monsoon |
Sources :
http://timeforchange.org/what-is-a-carbon-footprint-definition
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