Pollution from China’s factories and vehicles is significantly reducing rainfall in hilly areas of the country.

Clouds form more easily when pollutant particles are abundant, but rain droplets and snowflakes are less likely to grow large enough to fall. A team of Israeli and Chinese scientists used more than 50 years worth of records to show a clear correlation between air pollution and decreased precipitation over hills in central China.

By comparing visibility and amounts of rain and snow, they have been able to demonstrate an average reduction of 20% over this 50-year period.

Read (BBC)