Abstract: Precipitation is a consequential climate feature, which plays an important role in Earth’s physical geography and also its biosphere. As climate changes, so does the risk of disruption of the water cycle we have adapted to. The distribution of precipitation (or lack thereof) in space and time is anticipated to change, and in some respects already is changing, in response to warming. But quantifying the various aspects of this risk is a challenge because of the diverse sources of uncertainty – including natural variability, structural differences among climate models and their projections, and the range of trajectories society might choose to follow. This talk will highlight some of the key questions about Earth’s water cycle and its changes: How does precipitation vary over time, and in response to climate change? Does the latest generation of model simulations have anything new to tell us about this? And, what do we mean when talk about “extreme” precipitation?

Angie Pendergrass (Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University) will present in the
2022 Perspectives on the Climate Change Challenge Seminar Series:

• Most Mondays, Spring Semester 2022, 2:45-4:00pm
• Available via Zoom (ID: 953 9733 0144; Passcode: 024210)
   

This university-wide seminar series is open to the public, and provides important views on the critical issue of climate change, drawing from many perspectives and disciplines. Experts from Cornell University and beyond present an overview of the science of climate change and climate change models, the implications for agriculture, ecosystems, and food systems, and provide important economic, ethical, and policy insights on the issue. The seminar is being organized and sponsored by the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering and the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability.