Extreme rain over mountains alarming scientistsFor every degree Celsius the world warms, severe precipitation at higher elevation increases by 15 percent, study showsAPA warming world is transforming some major snowfalls into extreme rain over mountains instead, somehow worsening both dangerous flooding like the type that devastated Pakistan last year as well as long-term water shortages, a new study found. Heavy rain in mountains causes a lot more problems than big snow, including flooding, landslides and erosion, scientists said. A researcher said flooding could occur more frequently as a warming world transforms some major snowfalls into heavy rain over mountains instead. That includes much of the American West, where Ombadi said “it’s very pronounced,” as well as parts of the Appalachian Mountains. Photo: AFPAbout one in four people on Earth live in an area close enough to the mountains or downhill that extreme rain and flooding would hit them, Ombadi said.
