Deep Freeze Europe faced a diff erent weather
problem. Winters there are usually cold, but rarely below freezing. For two winters, temperatures in Europe dropped. One deep freeze lasted for three weeks. Scientists looked at the wind for clues. One wind is extra cold. It’s a polar jet stream. One polar jet stream blows near the
north pole. Sometimes, it dips farther south than normal. T en it blows cold Arctic air across Europe. Once, it dumped snow on parts of Africa. It sounds odd, but warmer
temperatures in the Arctic could be causing this extreme. T ey may be pushing this jet stream south. Scientists are watching to find out.
Weather Watch Scientists also are watching what’s
going on with tropical cyclones. T ese are giant spinning storms. Sometimes, they become monster storms. T at’s what happened in the Philippines. In 2013, a tropical cyclone roared
across the Pacific Ocean. It slammed into the Philippines. It flattened whole towns. It was the strongest cyclone ever to hit land. It won’t be the last.
22 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER
A farmer works in his fl oating garden. Gardens like this can survive fl oods.
Preparing for the Worst Scientists predict Earth will keep
getting warmer. T ey also predict more extreme weather is on its way. Some countries are getting ready. Bangladesh is one. It’s built cyclone
shelters. Some farmers there also plant their gardens on floating raſt s. During extreme weather, the raſt s can float on rising water. T e gardens won’t be washed away or destroyed.
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