
Climate Change Alters Rainfall and Flood Patterns Differently Over Time Scales
A new study has revealed that climate change influences short-term and long-term rainfall and flooding in different ways, shedding light on how rising temperatures impact local and regional water systems. Researchers from Austria have provided the first comprehensive analysis of this relationship, using over a century of high-quality weather data. Their findings, now published in Nature, have global implications for understanding how floods may intensify in different regions.
The study, led by Prof. Günter Blöschl of TU Wien (Vienna), shows that short-duration rainfall events lasting just a few hours have increased by 15% in the last 30-40 years. The main driver behind this increase is rising temperatures caused by climate change.
Warmer air holds more moisture, while increased groun...