'When It Rains, It Pours': Global Warming Brings Increased, Heavier Storms

[marmar]

Published on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 by Common Dreams

'When It Rains, It Pours': Global Warming Brings Increased, Heavier Storms
Report documents increasing and heavier snowstorms and rainstorms since 1948

- Common Dreams staff


The impacts of human-caused global warming are being felt across the U.S. as increased and heavier storms -- predicted by climate scientists -- are confirmed in a report released Tuesday.

The report, "When it Rains, it Pours Global Warming and the Increase in Extreme Precipitation from 1948 to 2011" from Environment California Research & Policy Center, shows the effects of a warmer Earth, which is increasing evaporation and causing the atmosphere to hold more moisture. The report shows that extreme rainstorms and snowstorms are happening 30 percent more frequently on average across the contiguous U.S. since 1948; the heavy rainstorms or snowstorms that happened once every 12 months on average in 1948 now happen an average of every 9 months, with the largest annual storms nationwide producing 10 percent more precipitation.



"It's a significant trend, and it's the kind of thing that we can expect more of in the future if we continue to emit lots of global warming pollution," Travis Madsen one of the report's lead authors and a policy analyst at the Frontier Group, said.

The report also finds that 43 states exhibit a significant trend toward more frequent storms with extreme precipitation. New England has been walloped by an increase in severe storms; the region experienced an 85%-increase in extreme rainstorms and snowstorms since 1948, with other regions showing significant increases as well. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/07/31-4

[iemitsu]

1. we in the pacific northwest are experiencing

a mini-ice-age. the summer here has been cold and overcast. it is august 1st and i'm wearing a jacket indoors.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. I'm enjoying it.

Having moved here from the desert of Los Angeles, I like cool summers.

[iemitsu]

3. its better than 105 degrees but

hardly warm enough to want to go outside.
i have felt cold for the last two years.
glad you are enjoying the cool weather though. welcome to the northwest.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. We've been here for 30 years.

My wife is like you, still in her winter snuggies. Me, anything above 65 is shorts weather.

[suffragette]

7. mid 70s with a light breeze - I'm in my happy zone

Lived in Southern California for awhile and enjoyed many things about it, but too hot for me there.

Btw, I just saw you're in Battle Ground. My dad's side of the family lived in La Center for years.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. We've been in BG for 19 years...love it.

[Uncle Joe]

4. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, marmar.

[Denninmi]

5. Oh, the irony for me.

We can't seem to get more than about a third of an inch at a time this summer.

At least the extreme heat broke here in the Detroit area. I can live with 85-90 much better than 102.

Heard it was going to be 112-115 today in Oklahoma. Yikes.

[aquart]

6. Also increased drought.

Which is why a plan to channel our excess water in one place to parched areas in others would seem to be worth exploring so half our continent doesn't become a dustbowl while the other half drowns.

[Worried senior]

8. We are fortunate

living in NE Wi, we usually have very dry summers but this year we've had almost enough.

We are experiencing thunder storms just about everytime we get rain, that too is very unusual.

I am a firm believer in global warming and concerned about this planet. We try to do what we can, wish more people would.