Intense storms more frequent in N.J.

Storms in New Jersey have been getting more intense, and an environmental group points to a new report which says global warming is to blame.

Environment New Jersey says the new study shows heavy downpours in the Garden State are now 33 percent more frequent than they were 65 years ago.

“As global warming increases the amount of evaporation that’s happening, it also enables the air to hold more water,” says Matt Elliott, Environment New Jersey’s clean energy advocate. “So, essentially, global warming provides more fuel for these heavier rainstorms and snowstorms when they do come.”

Elliott says there’s also more concern about drought because evaporation from global warming that occurs between the storms dries out the soil.

He says the trend toward more extreme storms will continue unless additional efforts are made to reduce carbon pollution and increase fuel efficiency standards.