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2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan <br />Kittitas County, Washington <br /> <br /> <br />Chapter 4: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment 135 <br />Effects of Climate Change in Severity of Impacts: As global average temperatures increase, <br />evaporation increases adding moisture to the atmosphere, which results in more precipitation.164F <br />164 Heavy <br />precipitation events are expected to increase as much as three (3) times the historical average by the <br />end of the century. Although heavy precipitation does not necessarily result in flooding, the potential <br />increases and in some location moderate amounts of precipitation can lead to serious damage.165F <br />165 Table <br />4-73 indicates the 25-year precipitation projections for Kittitas County. Table 4-74 outlines the flood <br />associated climate indicators for Kittitas County projected through the end of the century.166F <br />166 <br />Table 4-73. 25-Year Climate Projections for Kittitas County <br />Higher Emissions (RCP8.5) <br />Kittitas County is expected to experience a 12% increase in days with heavy precipitation within 25 years. <br />By 2049, Kittitas County is expected to experience 0.8 more days of heavy precipitation per year (from 6.9 days <br />to 7.8 days per year). <br />Lower Emissions (RCP4.5) <br />Kittitas County is expected to experience a 5% increase in days with heavy precipitation within 25 years. <br />By 2049, Kittitas County is expected to experience 0.3 more days of heavy precipitation per year (from 7.2 days <br />to 7.5 days per year). <br /> <br /> <br />164 Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Climate Change Indicators: U.S. and Global Precipitation. Retrieved <br />from https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-us-and-global-precipitation. <br />165 Denchak, M. (2019). Flooding and Climate Change: Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved from <br />https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flooding-and-climate-change-everything-you-need-know. <br />166 Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation. (n.d.). Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation <br />Assessment Tool. Retrieved from https://livingatlas.arcgis.com/assessment-tool/explore/details.