Heavy Precipitation in the U.S. and the Climate Change Connection

This fact sheet from the World Resources Institute examines the increase in heavy precipitation in the United States since the late 1950s, attributing the trend to human-caused climate change and detailing the resulting impacts on infrastructure, health, and agriculture.

• The United States has experienced an increase in heavy precipitation since the late 1950s, primarily driven by human-caused climate change which has increased the atmosphere's capacity to hold moisture.
• Heavy precipitation events, when combined with changing land-use (such as increased asphalt surfaces) and aging drainage infrastructure, increase the risk of flash floods and urban floods, threatening human health, economies, and communities.
• Heavy downpours cause soil erosion and crop damage in the agricultural sector and disrupt transportation systems at both the state and city levels across the country.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Heavy Precipitation in the U.S. and the Climate Change Connection. https://www.wri.org/research/heavy-precipitation-us-and-climate-change-connection

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Heavy Precipitation in the U.S. and the Climate Change Connection. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/heavy-precipitation-us-and-climate-change-connection.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Heavy Precipitation in the U.S. and the Climate Change Connection |url=https://www.wri.org/research/heavy-precipitation-us-and-climate-change-connection |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendheavy, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Heavy Precipitation in the U.S. and the Climate Change Connection}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/heavy-precipitation-us-and-climate-change-connection}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }