NORTH CAROLINA -- We are all probably familiar with the saying, "when it rains it pours."  A new report this week from Climate Central is saying that in North Carolina and around the country, that saying is oten true.

• Climate Central recently studied rainfall amounts on the wettest day of the year for cities across the United States
• They found a marked increase in the rainfall amount on our wettest days compared to the 1950s
• Heavier downpours on the days we have rain is linked to our warming climate

Climate Central is an independent group that studies the impacts of our changing climate across the country. They recently studied rainfall amounts on the wettest day of the year for cities across the United States.  For the Raleigh area, they found a marked increase in the rainfall amount on our wettest days compared to the 1950s.

This trend for heavier downpours is not just localized to North Carolina. Seventy-nine percent of cities in the country have seen an increase in rainfall on the wettest days of the year. Houston, Texas topped the list for the largest increase.  

However, rainfall is getting heavier not just on the wettest day of the year. Climate Central also found a steady increase across the country in the number of days with an inch or more of rain each year compared to average since 1950.

Heavier downpours on the days we have rain is linked to our warming climate. As the earth warms, more moisture is evaporated into the atmosphere. That additional moisture leads to heavier rain and more frequent flooding.