Have the impacts of global warming been included in the flood mapping study?
The study included the addition and analysis of regional rainfall records for the last 30 years to update the 1972 NOAA Rainfall Atlas. This additional data did not change rainfall rates in the South Boulder Creek basin and did not reflect any trends that could help define the expected impacts of global warming. Given this, specific affects or adjustment factors to account for global warming could not be included in the study with any scientific confidence. The study team is sensitive to and concerned with the affects of global warming and climate change. A recent draft American Meteorological Society Statement on Climate Change, now under review by the AMS Council, has been posted to the AMS web site. This draft statement provides a very good summary of current science consensus on climate change. In general it supports the likelihood of more frequent, larger and more intense thunderstorms in the Western United States.
Related Questions
- How do the changes in the flood mapping studys findings relate to the data generation (real data vs. simulated), and how is the level of confidence determined?
- Has the flood mapping study considered all the variables: season, ground saturation, temperature and snow pack?
- Have the impacts of global warming been included in the flood mapping study?
