Abstract

Precipitation extremes and floods can have severe societal impacts and are critical considerations for infrastructure design. This presentation provides an overview of changes in precipitation extremes across seasonal and annual timescales, spanning global to regional scales. Using a novel detection and attribution analysis method, we quantified the contributions of various external forcings to long-term changes in precipitation extremes. Our findings reveal that anthropogenic influence has significantly reduced the waiting time between extreme events and altered their underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, leveraging large ensemble simulations with hydrological models, we assessed the impact of human-induced climate change on flood risks and projected future changes in flood magnitudes for different return periods. A particular focus is placed on the river basins of Western Canada, characterized by complex mountainous topography and strong maritime influences. This analysis highlights the driving mechanisms behind these changes, emphasizing the importance of understanding these processes for designing resilient infrastructure and informing effective climate change adaptation policies.