Why Atmospheric Jet Stream Blocking Events are Rapidly Worsening Extreme Weather with Global Warming

We know that as the poles continue to warm much faster than lower latitudes, the atmospheric jet streams move slower and get much wavier in the North-South meridional direction.

With increased waviness, we get more so-called jet stream blocking events, which greatly increase the frequency, severity, and duration of extreme weather events, and these events often happen in locations where they did not previously occur.

As global warming continues to accelerate, there is more water vapor in the atmosphere (about 7% more for every 1 degree C temperature rise, according to the so-called Clausius-Clapeyron equation).

I chat about the new peer-reviewed research that shows this increased moisture effect on the two main types of blocking configurations: 1) Ridge, also so-called Omega blocking: more water vapor means more intense and persistent (longer duration) blocking events, with worsening extreme weather events 2) Dipole, in which case more water vapor means less intense and shorter duration blocking events.

Since the Ridge (Omega blocking) outnumbers Dipole blocking by a ration of 4.5 to 1, and since the Ridge (Omega blocking) is primarily over land, global warming is rapidly worsening extreme weather events around the planet.

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Links:

Moisture changes the rules of atmospheric traffic jams 08-14-2025: Purdue University research reveals moisture's role in atmospheric blocking, a key driver in extreme weather events, solving a climate mystery and improving forecasts. https://www.eaps.purdue.edu/news/articles/2025/0814_atmblocking_wang.html

Physics.org article: How moisture changes the rules of atmospheric blocking https://phys.org/news/2025-08-moisture-atmospheric-blocking.html

Earth.com article: Moisture in the atmosphere causes extreme weather to last longer https://www.earth.com/news/moisture-in-the-atmosphere-causes-extreme-weather-to-last-longer/

New Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journal article in Nature.com Blocking diversity causes distinct roles of diabatic heating in the Northern Hemisphere

Abstract A diverse range of stagnant flow patterns can be categorized as atmospheric blocking, and these flow patterns have distinct patterns of diabatic heating due to latent heat release. Climate model simulation and projection of atmospheric blocking remain a challenge, in part due to a lack of understanding of blocking diversity and the distinct roles of diabatic heating patterns. Here, we delineate observed blocking diversity using a local wave activity diagnostic and focus on two key archetypes: ridge and dipole blocks. Each type shows a distinctive flow pattern and associated diabatic heating. For ridge blocks, diabatic heating enhances the upstream wave activity, thus contributing to the persistence of blocks. In contrast, for dipole blocks, diabatic heating reduces the wave activity at the center of blocks, thus exerting a damping effect. The distinct roles of diabatic heating along with their preferred geographic locations provide insights in assessing blocking diversity in a warming climate.

Link to open-source science paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60811-4

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel. As well as my website, and YouTube, you can find me on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reddit (multiple climate channels within), Quora, TikTok, Discord, Mastodon, Twitch, Vimeo, Bluesky, TruthSocial, Threads, Substack, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc...