FLOODING AND DROUGHT Climate change increases our risk of both heavy rains and extreme droughts. But why – and how – is that? Aren’t the two contradictory? Science has shown that climate change touches every corner of our planet’s ecosystem, and the water cycle is no exception. Specifically, as global temperatures have increased at their fastest rates in millions of years, this rise has directly affected things like water vapor concentrations in the atmosphere, clouds, and precipitation and stream-flow patterns. Because the processes involved are highly dependent on temperature, changes in one have consequences on the other. So how does climate change impact the water cycle? To explain, let’s take a closer look at the two most extreme impacts of a water cycle in crisis: severe flooding and drought. Learn More: Climate Change and the Water Cycle: Four Big Questions Answered 6