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Extreme floods and droughts receive a lot of attention. But what happens when precipitation--or lack thereof--occurs in a more measured way? Researchers have analyzed more than five decades of data from across North America to find that changes in non-extreme precipitation are more significant than previously realized.
And the changes are greater than those that have occurred with extreme precipitation. Non-extreme precipitation can have a strong effect on ecosystems, agriculture, infrastructure design and resource management, the scientists say, pointing to a need to examine precipitation in a more nuanced, multifaceted way.Image credit: National Science Foundation
