The jet stream may be starting to shift in response to climate change

By James Dinneen – NewScientist

Bands of fast-moving wind that blow west to east around the globe play a crucial role in weather – a poleward shift in parts of these jet streams could cause dramatic changes in weather from the western US to the Mediterranean

Sections of the planet’s jet streams have begun shifting towards the poles over the past several decades. It is most likely that this is a response to global warming due to our greenhouse gas emissions, and could exacerbate heat and drought in regions that depend on the high-altitude winds to steer storms their way.