Extreme downpours could become summer staple if global warming continues EXTREME DOWNPOURS could become an unwanted characteristic of the British summer if the effects are global warning continue, experts have warned. Researchers from the Met Office and Newcastle University have identified how climate change could result in heavier summer rainfall, which in turn could increase the risk of flash flooding. The study used a state-of-the-art climate change model to provide evidence for the first time that hourly summer rainfall rates could increase. While summers are expected to become drier overall by 2100, intense rainfall indicative of serious flash flooding could become several times more frequent. The study, published in the Nature and Climate Change journal, said: “Short duration rain events are predicted to intensify during the summer months in the southern United Kingdom. “This predicted increase means more events would exceed the Met Office and Environment Agency Flood Forecasting Centre guidance threshold for serious flash flooding.” The report highlights how short bursts of heavy rainfall triggered flooding in the north Cornwall town of Boscastle nearly a decade ago, when the coastal community was brought to its knees as a result of a pocket of unseasonable summer weather. Last July, a major clean up operation took place after a falsh flood [...] leedsinnews/extreme-downpours-could-become-summer-staple-if-global-warming-continues-8/
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 07:45:40 +0000
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