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Scientists say climate change is driving changes in rainfall patterns across the world. This could also be intensifying typhoons and other tropical storms.
Researchers led by Zhang Wenxia at the China Academy of Sciences studied historical meteorological data. They found about 75 per cent of the world’s land area had seen wider swings between wet and dry weather.
Warming temperatures have improved the atmosphere’s ability to hold moisture. This is causing wider fluctuations in rainfall, the researchers said in a paper published by the Science journal.
Scientists believe climate change is reshaping the behaviour of tropical storms, making them less frequent but more powerful.
Models predict that global warming makes typhoons stronger, a researcher said.
