Will An Increase In Rainy Days Hurt The Economy?

An increase in rainy days caused by climate change can
harm economies worldwide, especially in industrialized 
nations, new research indicates. Photos is of a sudden
summer downpour disrupting lunchtime in 
Burlington, Vermont several years ago. 

 We know that an increase in weather disasters brought on by climate change is bad for a huge number of reasons. One of them is that they are a drag on the global economy.  

But what about just an increase in rainy days. 

Climate scientists tell us that overall, a warmer climate means more and heavier rain.  (Yes, climate change increases droughts in some areas, too, but rain is still a big issue here).

As ABC News reports, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research have concluded that extreme rainfall, combined with just more generally rainy days are likely to hurt global economies.  

Extreme rainfall has long been established as a climate change hazard. Such new, torrential rains can cause a lot of damage to buildings, roads and such,  never mind the direct effects it has on businesses and people's livelihoods. 

However, more rains, even if they don't cause all that much damage, can disrupt business, manufacturing and transportation, among other aspects of the economy, said Leonie Wenz a lead scientist in the research.  

Reports ABC News: 

"'We know from previous work that flooding associated with extreme rainfall can damage infrastructure, which is critical to economic productivity, ad also cause local disruptions to production,'" said Wenz, adding that the new findings also suggest everyday disruptions caused by more rain will have 'a disruptive effect on businesses, manufacturing, transportation.'"

Industrialized nations are likely to fare worse than more agrarian economies. After all, you need rain to grow crops, right?  In industrialized nations, rain slows travel, disrupts outdoor work and puts consumers in less of a mood to go out and shop. 

As NPR reports: 

"Just a few extra inches of rain throughout the year could diminish a country's annual growth by half a percentage point - a significant decline, the study points out, given that most developed nations grow by 2 to 3 percentage points annually."  

The bottom line: It's not just the high end disasters or the temperature extremes that will get you with climate change. It's the weirder much more uneven distribution of precipitation that will screw things up, too.