In the past week, Hurricane Helene and a prior storm released more than 40 trillion gallons of rain on the Southeastern United States, causing significant flooding and over 100 fatalities. Experts emphasize that this rainfall is unprecedented in scale and may be intensified by climate change, which increases moisture retention in the atmosphere. The impacts have been catastrophic, with numerous regions experiencing severe flooding and damage.
In a stunning meteorological event, Hurricane Helene and a preceding rainstorm unleashed over 40 trillion gallons of rain across the Southeastern United States during the past week. This remarkable precipitation amount, equivalent to filling the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium 51,000 times or one-time filling Lake Tahoe, has raised significant concerns among experts. The sheer volume of water, which would create a depth of 3.5 feet if distributed across North Carolina alone, is astounding and has profound implications for the region. Ed Clark, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Center, remarked, “That’s an astronomical amount of precipitation. I have not seen something in my 25 years of working at the weather service that is this geographically large of an extent and the sheer volume of water that fell from the sky.” The flood damage resulting from this unprecedented rainfall has been described as catastrophic, with over 100 fatalities reported. Meteorologist Ryan Maue quantitatively assessed the rainfall through satellite and ground measurements, concluding that Hurricane Helene alone contributed 20 trillion gallons, predominantly affecting Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Florida. Clark corroborated the 40 trillion gallon estimate, suggesting it might underrepresent the actual rainfall. The initial heavy rainfall was due to a low-pressure system that stalled over the Southeast, which allowed for extensive moisture accumulation from the Gulf of Mexico. Compounding this effect, another storm system lingered over North Carolina, leading to localized rainfall of up to 20 inches, as explained by North Carolina’s climatologist, Kathie Dello. As for Hurricane Helene, its rapid movement and size further intensified the rainfall amounts, with University of Albany hurricane expert Kristen Corbosiero describing it as a convergence of multiple storm systems that led to exceptional precipitation levels, particularly at higher elevations. The mountainous regions exacerbated the situation, as the terrain facilitated further moisture extraction from the air, a phenomenon confirmed by Clark, Maue, and Corbosiero. North Carolina recorded an all-time high of 31.33 inches of rain in Busick, with significant amounts also logged on Mount Mitchell. Ed Clark’s reflections on recent climatic trends indicate that measuring rainfall in feet is becoming an increasingly common occurrence due to the frequency of severe weather events like Harvey and Florence. The evidence supports that storms are becoming significantly wetter due to climate change, as demonstrated by research highlighting that a warmer atmosphere retains more moisture. Corbosiero emphasized the importance of understanding the relationship between climate change and severe weather patterns, while a study from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab indicated that climate change contributed to a 50% increase in rainfall for some regions impacted by Helene. Dello succinctly summarized the observed changes: “These storms are wetter and these storms are warmer. And there would have been a time when a tropical storm would have been heading toward North Carolina and would have caused some rain and some damage, but not apocalyptic destruction.”
The article discusses the unprecedented rainfall brought by Hurricane Helene and preceding storms over the Southeastern United States, emphasizing the significant implications of such extreme weather events. Experts analyze the quantities of precipitation, its geographical impact, and the potential connections to climate change. The discussion also highlights the growing trends toward higher rainfall metrics due to global warming and its effects on storm intensity and moisture retention in the atmosphere.
The extraordinary rainfall resulting from Hurricane Helene and associated storms underscores the alarming trends of increasing storm intensity and precipitation linked to climate change. Meteorologists confirm the magnitude of this event is unprecedented, with dire consequences for affected regions, culminating in loss of life and extensive flooding. As experts continue to explore the implications of these trends, it becomes clear that understanding and addressing climate impacts on weather systems is crucial for future preparedness and response efforts.
Original Source: www.pbs.org
