According to a new study, increasing global warming increases the risk of extreme rainfall in higher regions. For every degree Celsius that the planet warms, up to 15% more rain falls at altitudes above 2,000 meters, according to calculations published in the journal Nature.
06.29.2023 10.41
Online since today, 10:41 am
This is twice as much as expected for the lowlands. For the study, the US research team examined the effects of climate change on precipitation, focusing on locations that were previously more accustomed to snowfall. To do so, they compared precipitation data for the past 70 years with model calculations up to the year 2100. However, due to lack of data, their study provides information only for regions in the northern hemisphere.
Unlike snow, rain runs off faster, leading to a greater risk of flooding, landslides and soil erosion, according to study author Mohammed Ombadi of Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory in California. However, infrastructure at high altitudes is not designed to withstand extreme flooding.
adjust infrastructure
The researchers recommend that particularly affected areas develop climate adaptation plans. “When designing dams, roads, railways and other infrastructure, we need to consider the increase in extreme rainfall,” said Ombadi. This is the only way to ensure they are sustainable in a warmer climate as well.
The Earth’s surface has already increased by 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assumes that the planet could warm up to 2.8 degrees by the end of the century if politicians don’t take drastic measures.