Name one atmospheric consequence of increased greenhouse gases that leads to more intense storms?

• A. Increased evaporation
• B. Decreased humidity
• C. Lower wind shear
• D. More reflective clouds

Answer: (A)

When greenhouse gases rise, surface and atmospheric temperatures rise, and warmer air can hold more moisture. This means more evaporation from oceans and other water sources, increasing the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. Water vapor releases a lot of latent heat as it condenses in storm clouds, which powers stronger convection, updrafts, and more energetic storm systems. So the atmospheric consequence that directly contributes to more intense storms is the increase in moisture—i.e., increased evaporation and humidity feeding these storms. The other options don’t capture this moisture-energy link: humidity doesn’t decrease with warming, wind shear changes are not the primary direct consequence here, and cloud reflectivity isn’t the mechanism driving greater storm intensity.