Climate Change and Rainfall Intensity–Duration–Frequency Curves: Overview of Science and Guidelines for Adaptation

Summary

One of the most important impacts of a future warmer climate is the projected increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme
\nrainfall events. This increasing trend in extreme rainfall is seen in both the observational record and climate model projections. However, a
\nthorough review of the recent scientific literature paints a complex picture in which the intensification of rainfall extremes depends on a
\nmultitude of factors. While some projected rainfall indices follow the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship scaling of an ∼7% increase in
\nrainfall per 1°C of warming, there is substantial evidence that this scaling depends on rainfall extremes frequency, with longer return
\nperiod events seeing larger increases, leading to super Clausius-Clapeyron scaling in some