Maddie Prater
eSomethin staff

Spring is a time for peace, but the weather doesn’t seem to agree.

We’ve enjoyed sunny, warm temperatures, and cloudy days below freezing in the same weeks. Temperatures swing from low twenties to high fifties and sixties in a single day.

The Bigger Picture

Global warming is not a new concern. But in recent years, the effects have grown increasingly more unbearable. Changes in cloud anatomy like moisture levels and patterns can have a huge impact on temperature and precipitation cycles across the globe. These changes are caused by greenhouse gases and a general shift in our Earth’s atmospheric circulation.

Atmospheric circulation is the way air travels on a planet due to solar energy. Warm air is less dense, and rises. Cooler air is more dense, and sinks. The currents in which these move, convection currents, cause wind. The larger the difference in temperature, the stronger the wind will be.

Carbon dioxide is a leading contributor to global warming. Elevated levels of the gas cause heat to be trapped in Earth’s atmosphere.

Wind and Water

This level of fluctuation isn’t just annoying, it’s dangerous too.

The inconsistent pendulum between hot and cold creates high windspeeds, potentially leading to tornadoes and wind storms.

On March 13, Northern Ohio experienced wind speeds of up to 85 mph, which caused excessive damage to homes and buildings.

Toth elementary made the news after part of their roof was blown off due to the storm. School continued as normal for students and staff.

Roofing, siding, and other external portions of homes were left mangled after the more extreme conditions.

April Showers

As the infamous “April showers” are upon us, a collection of heavy rainfall has made water levels in the Maumee River rise and flood around roads and sidewalks.

But why does it rain so much in the spring?

Warm air tends to hold more moisture than cold air. As air travels up from the South and we start transitioning into spring and summer, it brings this extra moisture with it. This shift combined with remaining water in the soil from snowfall adds up to a surplus of precipitation.

The springtime battle between warm and cold air increases atmospheric instability, leading to more extreme polars in day-to-day shifts.

Spring Sports

Springtime sports have seen many rescheduled games and cancellations, especially this season.

Kyla Miller, a freshman at PHS and a player on the softball team spoke about how the recent weather has affected playing time.

“We were supposed to have three scrimmages over spring break but due to weather, all were cancelled and not rescheduled. We have only played four games and two scrimmages and missed many because of the weather,” Miller said.

Every year it seems the weather gets more extreme. With global warming and climate change on the rise, the hole we’ve dug will only get deeper unless we do something about it.

Our job is to undo what all we’ve done and restore our one and only Earth to its original state.

We should protect our home, we only have one.

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