“Climate Change” Affects the Intensity of Rainfall and Hurricanes

Scientists said in a study published on Friday that climate change is causing changes in rainfall patterns around the world, which could also lead to stronger hurricanes and other tropical storms.

The strongest hurricane this year hit Taiwan, the Philippines, and then China this week, resulting in the closure of schools, businesses, and financial markets, with wind speeds increasing to 227 kilometers per hour.

Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated on China’s east coast before the hurricane made landfall on Thursday.

According to Reuters, scientists say that stronger tropical storms are part of a broader phenomenon of extreme weather events caused by rising temperatures.

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Researchers led by Zhang Wenxia at the Chinese Academy of Sciences studied historical meteorological data and concluded that nearly 75% of the world’s land area has seen an increase in “precipitation variability” or wider fluctuations between dry and wet weather.

The researchers said in a study published in the journal “Science” that rising temperatures have increased the atmosphere’s ability to retain moisture, causing wider fluctuations in rainfall.

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Steven Sherwood, a scientist at the Climate Change Research Center at the University of New South Wales, who was not involved in the study, said: “Variability has increased in most places, including Australia, meaning heavier rainfall periods and more severe drought periods.”

He added: “This will increase as global warming continues, raising the chances of drought and/or flooding.”

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Scientists believe that climate change is also altering the behavior of tropical storms, including hurricanes, making them less frequent but more intense.

Sherwood said: “I think the increased water vapor in the atmosphere is the main reason behind all these trends towards more extreme hydrological phenomena.”

Hurricane Jaime, which made landfall in Taiwan on Wednesday, is the strongest to hit the island in eight years.