1-in-100-year floods happening so often, the term may change

Recent deadly flooding events around the world are evidence of the planet's changing relationship with precipitation as global temperatures continue to warm.

Recent deadly flooding events around the world are evidence of the planet's changing relationship with precipitation as global temperatures continue to warm, according to environmental experts. While the link between the climate change and extreme precipitation is straightforward, quantifying the link remains a critical area of research, Frances Davenport, a doctoral candidate at Stanford University’s Earth System Science program told ABC News Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee. "We're seeing that climate change increases extreme precipitation and makes the most extreme events bigger," Davenport said. Attempts to quantify a flooding event often involves the use of the term "a one in 100-year event." In terms of floods, it pertains to the flood flow rate that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in a given year, Robert Mason, extreme hydrologic events coordinator and Delaware River master for the U.S. Geological Survey, told ABC News.