rainforest
- Thread starter beaveman
- Start date
I don't have a definitive answer for you, as our understanding of the tropical weather and how it influences the mid latitude weather is somewhat limited.
I can tell you this:
1) There is no jetstream in the tropics, just a pretty homogeneous (same qualities) blob of humid and warm air. What makes things happen in the tropics, weather wise, is due to differences in winds and pressures, whereas the jetstream is mainly driven by temperature differences.
2) The tropical weather is pretty separated from that of the mid-latitudes (where the jetstream happens). At times a tropical system will move up into the mid latitudes and while this is not a well studied phenomenon, I believe that large areas of high pressure in the tropics do play a very important role in the dance the jetstream does across the mid latitudes. With that said, about 85% of what happens in the tropics- stays in the tropics.
3)The deforestation is happening mainly in the southern hemisphere and the weather happenings in the northern and southern hemisphere are even more independent than the tropics and mid latitudes. Probably about 95-99% of what happens in the northern hemisphere weather stays in the northern hemisphere and same for the southern hemisphere.
So at this point, based on our knowledge, it would appear that deforestation in the tropics would not likely lead to major impacts on the jetstream in the northern hemisphere, but that is based on our current knowledge, which as mentioned, is somewhat limited. Just opening my mind up to the vast expanse of possibilities, I would still gather to say that the effect would be rather small, just because of what the deforestation would do to the atmosphere and what drives the jetstream. Other effects, especially in the vicinity of the deforestation could be huge.
-John
I can tell you this:
1) There is no jetstream in the tropics, just a pretty homogeneous (same qualities) blob of humid and warm air. What makes things happen in the tropics, weather wise, is due to differences in winds and pressures, whereas the jetstream is mainly driven by temperature differences.
2) The tropical weather is pretty separated from that of the mid-latitudes (where the jetstream happens). At times a tropical system will move up into the mid latitudes and while this is not a well studied phenomenon, I believe that large areas of high pressure in the tropics do play a very important role in the dance the jetstream does across the mid latitudes. With that said, about 85% of what happens in the tropics- stays in the tropics.
3)The deforestation is happening mainly in the southern hemisphere and the weather happenings in the northern and southern hemisphere are even more independent than the tropics and mid latitudes. Probably about 95-99% of what happens in the northern hemisphere weather stays in the northern hemisphere and same for the southern hemisphere.
So at this point, based on our knowledge, it would appear that deforestation in the tropics would not likely lead to major impacts on the jetstream in the northern hemisphere, but that is based on our current knowledge, which as mentioned, is somewhat limited. Just opening my mind up to the vast expanse of possibilities, I would still gather to say that the effect would be rather small, just because of what the deforestation would do to the atmosphere and what drives the jetstream. Other effects, especially in the vicinity of the deforestation could be huge.
-John