How’s the humidity? Australia’s east coast has been hit by intense humidity this summer. Here’s why – and why it’s a risk
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Articles on Water vapour
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There’s a rule of thumb that rainfall intensity increases by about 7% per degree Celsius as temperatures rise. But the increase is much higher in the mountains, scientists found.
As the atmosphere warms, it can hold more moisture. This brings more intense downpours but also accelerates warming – because water vapour is a powerful greenhouse gas.
The Earth should be safe (and habitable) for a few billions of years, but we still need to worry about the impact now of just a few degrees of global warming.
Climate change has boosted the likelihood of heavy rainfall, hailstorms, flooding and drought seen in some parts of the world. What does the future hold?
If we had not altered the composition of the atmosphere at all through emitting greenhouse gases, particulate matter and ozone-destroying chemicals, the average temperature would have remained stable.
Top contributors
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Associate Professor in Environmental Physics, University of Canterbury
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Professor, Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba
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Director, Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium, University of Victoria
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Distinguished Scholar, NCAR; Affiliate Faculty, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
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Assistant Professor of Climate and Space Sciences Engineering, University of Michigan
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Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney
