The Meteorological Institute thinks that we are getting more extreme weather

Vassenden in Jølster municipality.Photo: Audun Braastad / NTB scanpix

Increased temperatures and episodes of heavy rainfall can be expected in the future, according to the Meteorological Institute. This applies throughout the year, but especially during the summer.

We must prepare for more episodes with heavy downpours in the future, and that the rainfall intensity in such episodes will increase. In the summer, there may be greater fluctuations between dry and warm periods, and colder weather and periods of rainfall, the Meteorological Institute writes on its website.

Heavy rain is defined as heavy rain fall with a duration of three hours or less. It is the shortest and most intense rainfall that will increase most, according to the institute.

Such fluctuations and rapid weather changes can potentially do a lot of damage with more overwater in densely populated areas and the danger of more landslides. They refer to Tuesday’s many landslides in Jølster municipality as an example of what we can expect in the future. In a short time, heavy rainfalls led to closed roads, cuts in the electrical mains and isolated people who had to be evacuated in boats.

The Meteorological Institute is part of the Norwegian Climate Services Center, which has made several reports on expected future development of extreme weather, temperature and rainfall. They advise us to expect an increase in heavy rainfall of about 40 percent by the end of this century.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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