Wednesday started off with a whole lot of water for parts of Western New York. Soaking thunderstorms brought over 2 inches of rain to parts of Erie and Niagara counties.
Intense rainfall events like this are becoming more severe for Buffalo and many other cities in the United States. Climate data shows that the heaviest 1% of rainfall events in the northeast have seen a 55% increase in rainfall amounts.
It’s important to point out that the desert southwest has seen a much slower increase in rainfall intensity. That’s proof that while typically wet climate regions like the northeast are getting wetter, dry climate regions are slowly getting drier by comparison.
Heavy rainfall events are also happening more often. So far this decade, Buffalo has seen an average of 7 days per year with an inch of rain or more. In the 1950s, Buffalo averaged 5 one-inch rainfall days per year.
Climate change is directly to blame for much of the increase in heavy rainfall events. As the global temperature rises, the atmosphere is able to hold more moisture; about 6 to 7% more for every 1.8 degree Fahrenheit temperature increase. And what goes up must come down. A greater supply of atmospheric moisture means heavier and more frequent rainfall events.
PHOTOS: WNY streets flooded due to heavy rains
For more background on the causes and effects of climate change, be sure to check out Climate Minute on WGRZ's YouTube channel.