BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- An environmental advocacy group says global warming is already having an effect in our state and across the country.
A new study from Environment Washington shows that severe rainstorms and snowstorms in our state are up 24 percent since 1948.
Travis Madsen, co-author of the study, says they analyzed weather records from the national climatic data center, and concluded that the increase in severe weather is linked to global warming.
The group predicts that the trend is likely to continue if global warming continues.
The study points to last January's snowstorm that shutdown the Sea-Tac Airport as an example of what more extreme weather could mean for the state.
The report also finds that extreme storms increased by 30 percent across the United States since 1948.
Oregon was the only state to show a significant drop in severe weather.
