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The FSF model shows that the official precipitation estimates from the US government do not fully capture the frequency and severity of extreme precipitation in a changing climate.
Approximately 20 percent of the country can now expect a 1-in-100-year storm to happen every 25 years.
The warming atmosphere is fueling once-unthinkable amounts of rain in single bursts, supercharging various weather-related disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, and crippling heat waves.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is updating its estimate of precipitation no less frequently than once every 10 years.
FSF is providing an "early understanding" of what NOAA's estimates are likely to produce, helping engineers, public works officials, and planners make informed decisions.
Communities need to realize that the rising number of catastrophic rain events in recent decades is the "new normal" for many areas, and that their understanding of risk is often underestimated.
The findings underscore how significant amounts of risk are likely unaccounted for in parts of the country.
It emphasizes the need for officials to think carefully about how they spend taxpayer dollars on major projects and have the foresight to grasp how the atmosphere in many places is changing.