As the climate warms, mountain regions will get more extreme rainfall than previously thought — and more of the dangers that come with it — according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
While scientists have studied how climate change may increase extreme precipitation overall, until now they hadn’t teased apart how much of the most extreme precipitation will fall as snow and how much as rain. The distinction is important because rain tends to produce more hazards for humans than snow does, including floods, landslides and soil erosion.
As the planet heats up, snow is starting to turn into rain — even in the mountains. The study found that for every 1 degree Celsius that the planet warms, higher elevations can expect 15% more extreme rainfall.