Extreme Weather's Relentless Torment of the Tourism Industry
01
In recent years, the weather has been getting increasingly bizarre.
Last week, I attended a skiing event at a popular ski destination, only to face an awkward reality: no snow.
For a ski resort that depends on snow to survive, this is nothing short of a nightmare. The marketing team hesitates to promote for fear of guests feeling deceived upon arrival, while the tourism staff remains on standby with no visitors to serve.
"Frustration" perfectly captures the mood of ski resorts this year.
Not only was there no snow—it rained. On the morning of the event, the rain cast a gloomy shadow over everyone. A single rainfall could turn the freshly made snow into ice, undoing the hard work of snow machines.
Fortunately, winter snow is often late but rarely absent. By the afternoon of the event, large, fluffy snowflakes began to fall, providing much-needed relief to the local tourism industry.
However, the damage had already been done—a well-planned event was delayed by a full week.
One local business owner lamented to me about nature’s cruelty, saying, “This one day alone cost us millions.”
I tried to comfort him, joking, “Maybe summer will become our busiest season in the future—at least it’s cool then...”
Heatwaves are merely a mild disruption to tourism. The real challenges come from hurricanes and other extreme weather events.
In recent years, extreme weather has become significantly more frequent than before.
02
If you’ve been noticing the sharp changes in weather, you’re not alone.
Since the start of autumn this year, the world has witnessed multiple extreme climate events. These include torrential rains in Spain that caused severe flooding and claimed over 200 lives, hurricanes "Helene" and "Milton" making landfall in Florida, and devastating floods and storms that led South Africa to declare a national state of disaster.
On November 7, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that data from the first 10 months of 2024 indicates this year is on track to become the hottest year on record since 1850.
Similarly, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) stated that, following persistently high global monthly average temperatures, 2024 is expected to set a new record as the hottest year ever documented. Meanwhile, Antarctic sea ice extent is at its second-lowest level on record, and glacier loss is accelerating.
Why is the weather so hot?
The scientific explanation lies in the greenhouse effect. Industrial development has caused excessive carbon dioxide emissions, trapping heat in the atmosphere.
Additionally, there’s the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with warming sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. It occurs every 2 to 7 years on average and typically lasts 9 to 12 months.
The global temperature effects of El Niño are most pronounced in the year following its onset—making 2024 a critical period.
Historical data shows that the hottest year on record before now was 2016, which coincided with an El Niño event from 2015 to 2016.
During that time, the eastern Pacific experienced significant sea surface warming, many regions saw rising temperatures, and hurricanes became unusually active. The climate conditions of the past two years bear a striking resemblance to 2015, with elevated temperatures and heightened hurricane activity.
Hurricanes and high temperatures are closely linked, almost like twin sisters in the climate system.
First, hurricanes require a sufficiently large expanse of tropical ocean. Not only must the sea surface temperature exceed 26.5°C, but this temperature must also persist in the top 60 meters of ocean water.
Second, before a hurricane forms, there must already be a weak tropical vortex in place, often referred to as the "embryo" of a hurricane. Hurricanes always develop and grow from these weaker systems.
Of course, these are just the necessary conditions for hurricanes to form. The actual reasons and processes behind their development are exceedingly complex.
In short, while global warming makes frequent hurricanes seem like a natural phenomenon, it has a compounding negative impact on those in the tourism industry.
---
### 03
The impacts of extreme climate change on tourism are obvious, but some potential effects also deserve attention.
For instance, in recent years, the likelihood of encountering clear-air turbulence during flights has significantly increased, as has its intensity.
This is also due to global warming, which is subtly altering the atmosphere—the environment in which aviation operates—affecting its properties, movement, and physical processes.
In fact, extreme weather events caused by climate change, rising sea levels, and changes in migratory bird patterns all introduce uncertainties to future air routes.
Among these, clear-air turbulence, often deemed the greatest threat to commercial aviation, has been making increasingly frequent appearances this year.
On November 14, a Scandinavian Airlines flight traveling from Stockholm, Sweden, to Miami, USA, encountered severe turbulence while flying over the North Atlantic, causing violent shaking.
According to flight data, the Airbus A330-343 aircraft plummeted approximately 2,500 meters in a short period—a terrifying event.
Earlier this year, on May 21, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, had to make an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport after experiencing severe turbulence.
In a statement, Singapore Airlines revealed that the incident resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries. The latest reports indicated that one of the deceased, a British man, likely died from a heart attack.
This year has seen a marked increase in clear-air turbulence incidents worldwide.
Paul Williams, an atmospheric scientist from the University of Reading, explained: "Simply put, climate change is intensifying the temperature contrast between warm and cold air masses. These air masses collide in the upper atmosphere, creating jet streams. This effect destabilizes jet streams, leading to more frequent clear-air turbulence events."
The impact of climate change on the aviation industry has become a topic of significant interest, from academic discussions to government policy, and it is also reshaping the daily operations of airlines.
During this summer, Korean Air announced that it would stop serving a popular snack—instant noodles—on long-haul flights due to the increased risk of turbulence. The primary concern was preventing passengers from being scalded by hot water during turbulence.
While forgoing instant noodles is a minor inconvenience, ensuring flight safety is paramount.
From life-threatening hurricanes and extreme heat to the invisible danger of clear-air turbulence, climate change is impacting every aspect of travelers' lives and is becoming increasingly tangible.
In recent years, the weather has been getting increasingly bizarre.
Last week, I attended a skiing event at a popular ski destination, only to face an awkward reality: no snow.
For a ski resort that depends on snow to survive, this is nothing short of a nightmare. The marketing team hesitates to promote for fear of guests feeling deceived upon arrival, while the tourism staff remains on standby with no visitors to serve.
"Frustration" perfectly captures the mood of ski resorts this year.
Not only was there no snow—it rained. On the morning of the event, the rain cast a gloomy shadow over everyone. A single rainfall could turn the freshly made snow into ice, undoing the hard work of snow machines.
Fortunately, winter snow is often late but rarely absent. By the afternoon of the event, large, fluffy snowflakes began to fall, providing much-needed relief to the local tourism industry.
However, the damage had already been done—a well-planned event was delayed by a full week.
One local business owner lamented to me about nature’s cruelty, saying, “This one day alone cost us millions.”
I tried to comfort him, joking, “Maybe summer will become our busiest season in the future—at least it’s cool then...”
Heatwaves are merely a mild disruption to tourism. The real challenges come from hurricanes and other extreme weather events.
In recent years, extreme weather has become significantly more frequent than before.
02
If you’ve been noticing the sharp changes in weather, you’re not alone.
Since the start of autumn this year, the world has witnessed multiple extreme climate events. These include torrential rains in Spain that caused severe flooding and claimed over 200 lives, hurricanes "Helene" and "Milton" making landfall in Florida, and devastating floods and storms that led South Africa to declare a national state of disaster.
On November 7, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that data from the first 10 months of 2024 indicates this year is on track to become the hottest year on record since 1850.
Similarly, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) stated that, following persistently high global monthly average temperatures, 2024 is expected to set a new record as the hottest year ever documented. Meanwhile, Antarctic sea ice extent is at its second-lowest level on record, and glacier loss is accelerating.
Why is the weather so hot?
The scientific explanation lies in the greenhouse effect. Industrial development has caused excessive carbon dioxide emissions, trapping heat in the atmosphere.
Additionally, there’s the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with warming sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. It occurs every 2 to 7 years on average and typically lasts 9 to 12 months.
The global temperature effects of El Niño are most pronounced in the year following its onset—making 2024 a critical period.
Historical data shows that the hottest year on record before now was 2016, which coincided with an El Niño event from 2015 to 2016.
During that time, the eastern Pacific experienced significant sea surface warming, many regions saw rising temperatures, and hurricanes became unusually active. The climate conditions of the past two years bear a striking resemblance to 2015, with elevated temperatures and heightened hurricane activity.
Hurricanes and high temperatures are closely linked, almost like twin sisters in the climate system.
First, hurricanes require a sufficiently large expanse of tropical ocean. Not only must the sea surface temperature exceed 26.5°C, but this temperature must also persist in the top 60 meters of ocean water.
Second, before a hurricane forms, there must already be a weak tropical vortex in place, often referred to as the "embryo" of a hurricane. Hurricanes always develop and grow from these weaker systems.
Of course, these are just the necessary conditions for hurricanes to form. The actual reasons and processes behind their development are exceedingly complex.
In short, while global warming makes frequent hurricanes seem like a natural phenomenon, it has a compounding negative impact on those in the tourism industry.
---
### 03
The impacts of extreme climate change on tourism are obvious, but some potential effects also deserve attention.
For instance, in recent years, the likelihood of encountering clear-air turbulence during flights has significantly increased, as has its intensity.
This is also due to global warming, which is subtly altering the atmosphere—the environment in which aviation operates—affecting its properties, movement, and physical processes.
In fact, extreme weather events caused by climate change, rising sea levels, and changes in migratory bird patterns all introduce uncertainties to future air routes.
Among these, clear-air turbulence, often deemed the greatest threat to commercial aviation, has been making increasingly frequent appearances this year.
On November 14, a Scandinavian Airlines flight traveling from Stockholm, Sweden, to Miami, USA, encountered severe turbulence while flying over the North Atlantic, causing violent shaking.
According to flight data, the Airbus A330-343 aircraft plummeted approximately 2,500 meters in a short period—a terrifying event.
Earlier this year, on May 21, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, had to make an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport after experiencing severe turbulence.
In a statement, Singapore Airlines revealed that the incident resulted in two fatalities and multiple injuries. The latest reports indicated that one of the deceased, a British man, likely died from a heart attack.
This year has seen a marked increase in clear-air turbulence incidents worldwide.
Paul Williams, an atmospheric scientist from the University of Reading, explained: "Simply put, climate change is intensifying the temperature contrast between warm and cold air masses. These air masses collide in the upper atmosphere, creating jet streams. This effect destabilizes jet streams, leading to more frequent clear-air turbulence events."
The impact of climate change on the aviation industry has become a topic of significant interest, from academic discussions to government policy, and it is also reshaping the daily operations of airlines.
During this summer, Korean Air announced that it would stop serving a popular snack—instant noodles—on long-haul flights due to the increased risk of turbulence. The primary concern was preventing passengers from being scalded by hot water during turbulence.
While forgoing instant noodles is a minor inconvenience, ensuring flight safety is paramount.
From life-threatening hurricanes and extreme heat to the invisible danger of clear-air turbulence, climate change is impacting every aspect of travelers' lives and is becoming increasingly tangible.
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