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GliderGuider

(21,088 posts)
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 11:57 AM Jul 2013

Atmospheric Rivers Grow, Causing Worse Floods Ahead

Atmospheric Rivers Grow, Causing Worse Floods Ahead

LONDON – Heavy and prolonged rainfall will cause both more frequent and more severe flooding across the United Kingdom and the rest of north-west Europe as the atmosphere continues to warm, say British and American scientists.

A study in IOP Publishing’s Environmental Research Letters of what are known as atmospheric rivers pins the blame for the increasing flood risk firmly on man-made climate change and says the same problem will afflict other parts of the planet.

Researchers at the University of Reading near London, and the U.S. University of Iowa, describe how atmospheric rivers carry vast amounts of water vapor around the Earth, delivering heavy and prolonged rainfall, particularly to mountainous areas. They were responsible for the protracted winter and summer floods in the UK in 2012, which caused an estimated $1.6 billion in damage.

In a warming world the atmosphere can carry more water and the research showed that the rivers, typically running a kilometer (.62 miles) above the earth, 300 kilometers (186 miles) wide and thousands of kilometers long, would become larger and capable of delivering even bigger quantities of prolonged rainfall.

I can has lawsoots against Exxon now plz?
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Atmospheric Rivers Grow, Causing Worse Floods Ahead (Original Post) GliderGuider Jul 2013 OP
Very soon there'll be plenty. Benton D Struckcheon Jul 2013 #1
Come on, Dr. Guider Bigmack Jul 2013 #2
As it ever was, GliderGuider Jul 2013 #3

Benton D Struckcheon

(2,347 posts)
1. Very soon there'll be plenty.
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 12:35 PM
Jul 2013

It's like the cigarette companies: they were fine for a long time, then one day they weren't. Same thing will happen here.

 

Bigmack

(8,020 posts)
2. Come on, Dr. Guider
Sat Jul 27, 2013, 11:41 PM
Jul 2013

You don't really believe that the Great Unwashed are paying attention to what scientists say!? I mean, IF ONLY. Ms Bigmack

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