Warming causes more extreme rain, not snow, over mountains and scientists say that's a problem

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A 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. “It is not just a far-off problem that is projected to occur in the future, but the data is actually telling us that it’s already happening and we see that in the data over the past few decades,” said lead author Mohammed Ombadi, a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory hydrologist and climate scientist. As the world has warmed to the brink of the 1.5 degree Celsius internationally agreed threshold to stem the worst effects of climate change, this study shows “every degree matters because it comes with an additional 15% increase” in extreme rain over mountains, Ombadi said. “You’re going to have more short-term runoff leading to more floods and less snowpack that recharges the groundwater and the groundwater is ultimately what helps maintain stream flows.” “These mountainous systems are supplying most of the water in the West so any decreases in water supply would be pretty significant in terms of water management,” she said.