Climate Outlook Grim For New Zealand's Southern Alps -

[hatrack]

New projections for New Zealand warn that as the weather hots up, the fastest warming will happen in the coldest parts of the country - the Southern Alps. Maximum daily temperatures in the Southern Alps could rise up to 7 by 2070 to 2100.

The amount of rain dumped on heavy rain days is also expected to jump significantly, according to sophisticated regional climate change modelling to be released on Tuesday.

"You see an increase in the very heavy rainfall events that can lead to flooding. If we warm up the planet a lot, then we are taking a risk," says National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research climate modeller Sam Dean. Dean is to present the projections to a joint Meteorological Society and Hydrological Society conference in Christchurch.

NIWA national climate centre head Dr David Wratt said the projections add a new level of confidence and detail to climate change scenarios for New Zealand. The rising temperatures over the alps could see average daily maximums at Mt Cook village rise 6, up from 14, to 20 Celsius towards the end of the century. Temperatures will rise 3-4 across the rest of New Zealand.

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http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3866248a10,00.html