Complete Health Indicator Report of Climate Change: Precipitation
Definition
The amount of rain, snow, sleet, hail, etc. that falls from the sky measured in inches.Numerator
Not ApplicableDenominator
Not ApplicableWhy Is This Important?
Although they are more difficult to measure than temperature, precipitation patterns seem to be affected by climate change as well. The greatest effect is on the hydrological cycle rather than precipitation levels alone. As temperatures continue to increase, there will be more evaporation and consequently a greater amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. This increase in water vapor will produce higher-intensity precipitation events even if total precipitation levels in a specific area are decreasing (1). Intense precipitation events and the frequency at which they occur could also alter maximum and minimum levels of precipitation that are usually observed.Graphical Data Views
Data Notes
Summer months include June, July, and August.Data Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data Center
Data Notes
Winter months include December, January, and February.Data Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data Center
Data Notes
Summer months include June, July, and August.Data Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data Center
Data Notes
Winter months include December, January, and February.Data Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data Center
Data Notes
Summer months include June, July, and August.Data Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data Center
Data Notes
Winter months include December, January, and February.Data Source
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data CenterReferences and Community Resources
Citations: 1. Trenberth, K. E. (2010). Changes in precipitation with climate change. Retrieved March 13, 2012 from the National Center for Atmospheric Research: http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cas/Trenberth/trenberth.papers/SSD%20Trenberth%202nd%20roof.pdf.More Resources and Links
Evidence-based community health improvement ideas and interventions may be found at the following sites:Additional indicator data by state and county may be found on these Websites:
- CDC Prevention Status Reports for all 50 states
- County Health Rankings
- Kaiser Family Foundation's StateHealthFacts.org
- CDC WONDER DATA2010, the Healthy People 2010 Database.
Medical literature can be queried at the PubMed website.
Page Content Updated On 09/20/2012,
Published on 10/18/2012
