American businesses must prepare for the increased extreme rainfall that climate change “will almost certainly deliver”, insurer FM Global warns in a new research paper.

In general, wet areas of the US will become wetter and dry areas drier, it says.

“Certain regions of the US are expected to be prone to more intense precipitation events and a potentially increased risk of flooding. Others are prone to less precipitation, prolonged droughts and a potentially increased risk of wildfires.

“Since these anticipated changes are not uniformly distributed geographically, it is recommended that businesses and property owners prepare for locally intense precipitation or drought considerations, depending on their location.”