Temperature, humidity, and precipitation

The amount of water that can be dissolved in air changes as a function of the temperature. In general, this means that increasing the temperature of air by 1˚C increases how much water can be dissolved in it by 7%. The precise values for any temperature change can be calculated using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation.

This is relevant to climate change for two reasons. Firstly, water vapour is a powerful greenhouse gas. Higher temperatures cause more evaporation and allow air to be more water-saturated, thus permitting further warming. Secondly, increased temperatures affect precipitation patterns through changes in the water capacity of air. The general trend is towards more extreme precipitation, more drought, greater annually averaged precipitation in middle and high latitude locations, and decreased precipitation in the tropics.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. Between 2005 and 2007 I completed an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. I worked for five years for the Canadian federal government, including completing the Accelerated Economist Training Program, and then completed a PhD in Political Science at the University of Toronto in 2023. View all posts by Milan