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climate-changeWorldwide increase in extreme precipitation: A manifestation of climate change

The KGP Chronicle (June 24, 2021)

Since the 1970s, global climate change and consequent warming of atmospheric system have led to a significant increase in extreme precipitation across the world, revealed by the IIT Kharagpur researchers through a global analysis.

“The global climate change and consequent warming of atmospheric system have altered the regular spatio-temporal distribution of precipitation. Our researchers also found that, the extent of increase in precipitation extremes is comparatively less near equator and reaches peak around mid-latitudes.”, mentioned the lead researcher, Prof Rajib Maity, Department of Civil Engineering.

The researchers have considered gridded observational- reanalysis precipitation dataset (1948-2012) and two important extreme precipitation measures from hydrological design and planning point of view, namely Annual Maximum Daily Precipitation (AMDP) & Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP). The research finding has been published in the Science Reports journal by Nature Publishing Group.

“Globally, the importance of AMDP and PMP is hydrologic planning and design is enormous. It ranges from flood assessment studies to design to high-risk high-cost water-energy infrastructures such as, dams, drainage network, flood management structures and even nuclear power plants.”, added Prof Maity. (Read More)