Intensification of the Land Surface Hydrologic Cycle in Illinois

Climate warming has altered the mean climate and the characteristics (intensity, frequency, spatial extent, timing, and duration) of climate extremes. This study aims to investigate the intensification of the hydrologic cycle by estimating and analysing the long-term trends and changes in the temperature and regional land surface water cycles over the U.S. Midwestern region (phase 1), and the associated trends and changes in the extremes of temperature and hydro-climatic variables, in particular precipitation and streamflow (phase 2).