A new study reveals that climate change may form the phenomenon of “atmospheric rivers”, also known as “rivers in the sky”, leading to record rainfall in East Asia.
According to the Daily Mail, scientists at Tsukuba University in Japan have created a model to study the behavior of atmospheric rivers and extreme rainfall in East Asia, based on meteorological data collected from 1951 to 2010 and predictions for 2090. The research team found that if temperatures rise by an additional 4 degrees Celsius, in the worst-case scenario, atmospheric rivers will occur more frequently, resulting in unprecedented record rainfall across the region.
Forecasts indicate that the southwestern slopes of the Alps will experience record rainfall in the near future. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Professor Yoichi Kamae, an environmental scientist at Tsukuba University and the author of the study, stated that according to simulations, atmospheric river phenomena will occur on the southern and western slopes in East Asia, causing record rainfall in areas including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and northeastern China. The southwestern slopes of the Japanese Alps are expected to record the highest levels of rainfall.
“Global warming is becoming increasingly evident, and it is not only causing the Earth’s temperatures to rise. As the name suggests, atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of water vapor flowing through the atmosphere. When one of these bands encounters an obstacle, such as a mountain range, it can produce extremely large amounts of rain or snowfall,” the scientists explained.
Extreme phenomena, such as heavy rainfall, flooding, and heatwaves, are occurring more frequently and violently around the world. Researchers warn that this creates an urgent need for forecasting and preparing response scenarios for the future.
East Asian countries have endured numerous impacts from extreme weather events that have caused significant damage over the past decade. The region has witnessed extremely heavy rainfall in July 2018 and July 2020. Some countries have paid a heavy social price, including loss of life. Therefore, the research team believes that predicting rainfall in this area, as the climate continues to change, is critically important.
Although the analysis focused on data from East Asia, the research team noted that their predictions could also apply to mid-latitude regions with steep mountain ranges, including Europe and North America. Creating simulations based on various climate change scenarios allows scientists to predict the impacts of different weather phenomena as the Earth warms.
“Our findings may also apply to other mid-latitude areas where the interaction between atmospheric rivers and steep mountains plays a key role in influencing rainfall, such as in western North America and Europe. These regions may also experience more frequent and intense heavy rainfall events as the climate warms,” Professor Kamae added.
The new findings have been published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
