Recent rains are ‘nowhere near’ what California might see in the future, climate expert says
The atmospheric rivers that pummeled California are a far cry from what a series of extreme storms could potentially bring, climate scientist Daniel Swain said at a legislative hearing on Wednesday that explored the impacts of the recent storm sequence. … Climate change is increasing the odds that severe storms, like what Californians encountered, will happen more frequently. A warmer atmosphere can hold onto more water, which can translate to stronger storms and heavier downpours. “There’s about a two in three chance of seeing an event that is about 20 or 30% larger than what we just experienced over the next forty years or so,” Swain said, noting that there is still uncertainty with the numbers. … Such an event would be comparable to the Great Flood of 1862, where weeks of storms pounded the state — far worse than the downpours that began on Dec. 26.
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