![]() ![]() This occurs when above-normal precipitation raises the water table and saturates the ground, causing slopes to lose their stability. In addition to flooding, heavy precipitation also increases the risk of landslides. Heavy rainfall can overwhelm such systems, sending excess stormwater, wastewater, and untreated sewage directly into bodies of water. This is an issue especially in the many cities in the United States that use a combined sewer system, where both stormwater and wastewater are mixed, treated, and released. Stormwater runoff, which often includes pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides, nitrogen, and phosphorus, can end up in lakes, streams, and bays. This risk can be heightened in urban areas where non-permeable pavement forces water to quickly run off into sewer systems.Įxcessive precipitation can also degrade water quality, harming human health, aquatic ecosystems, and fishery operations. ![]() The most immediate impact of heavy precipitation is the potential of flooding. However, the combination of more intense precipitation and an increased frequency of extreme events can lead to changes in overall precipitation levels. Some climate models project a decrease in moderate rainfall and an increase in the length of dry periods, which offsets the increased precipitation occurring during heavy events. Increases in heavy precipitation may not always lead to an increase in total precipitation over a season or over the year. An atmosphere with more moisture can produce more intense precipitation events, which is exactly what has been observed. For each degree Celsius of warming, the air’s capacity for water vapor goes up by about 7 percent. ![]() Scientists expect these trends to continue as the planet warms. The Midwest and Northeast have experienced the strongest increases in heavy precipitation events. 2 inches per decade since 1901, with extreme precipitation events outpacing this trend. In the contiguous United States, annual precipitation has increased at a rate of. These events are defined as instances in which the amount of rain or snow experienced in a location substantially exceeds what is normal. and across many regions of the world since the 1950s. Extreme precipitation events have increased in frequency and intensity in the U.S. ![]()
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