Chinese scientists reveal human impact on extreme precipitation

Human activities may increase extreme precipitation events, according to a study recently published in the journal npj Climate and Atmospheric Science.

The study was conducted by a research team from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The researchers proposed a new method for detecting and attributing extreme precipitation changes to assess the impact of human activities on regional extreme precipitation events in China from both historical and future perspectives.

The results show that from 1961 to 2005, the temporal distribution of extreme precipitation events in China shows an uneven increase, and the significant influence of human activities can be detected.

In the study, simulations show that as human factors intensify, the temporal distribution of extreme precipitation events in the country will be more uneven, and northwest China may face a higher risk of severe rainfall in the future.

The study evaluates the impact of human activities on the change of extreme precipitation events, which is helpful for precipitation events analysis and water disaster management.