Climate warming is leading to a decrease in snowfall and an increase in rainfall at high altitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.
A study published in Nature predicts a higher risk of extreme rainfall events due to climate change.
Extreme precipitation events, particularly heavy rainfall, pose a greater threat than snowfall because of their rapid runoff, increasing the risk of floods, infrastructure damage, and landslides.
The exact impact of global warming on extreme rainfall events is still uncertain.
Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory combined climate observations from 1950 to 2019 with future projections up to 2100 to assess the influence of climate change on precipitation patterns.
Their findings indicate that warming leads to an increase in extreme rainfall in high-altitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
On average, the intensity of extreme rainfall events is projected to increase by 15% for every 1 degree Celsius of warming.
The rate of increased rainfall in high-altitude areas is approximately double that of low-altitude regions, making mountainous areas more vulnerable to extreme precipitation.
The amplified increase in rainfall at high altitudes is attributed to a shift from snow to rain caused by warming.
The study emphasizes the need for robust climate adaptation plans to mitigate the risks posed by extreme rainfall events, particularly in mountainous regions.
It is crucial to develop adaptation strategies to protect both natural and built environments and the 26% of the global population living in or downstream of mountainous areas.
Additionally, as rainfall extremes increase, there is likely to be a decrease in snowfall extremes, which adds complexity to adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Why?
The Northern Hemisphere has a larger landmass compared to the Southern Hemisphere.
Land surfaces tend to heat up and cool down more quickly than ocean surfaces, leading to more pronounced temperature variations.
This makes the impacts of climate change, including changes in precipitation patterns, more evident in the Northern Hemisphere.
Among all the mountain ranges in the Northern Hemisphere, those at the greatest risk of extreme rainfall events are the North American Pacific mountain ranges.
These include the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and coastal ranges from Canada to Southern California.
Also at great risk are the Himalayas and high-latitude regions
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