Two rapid attribution studies published Tuesday found that human-induced global warming made Hurricane Helene stronger and wetter, elements that contributed to the storm’s destructive power.
A report from ClimaMeter, a consortium that analyzes extreme weather events, found that Helene’s overall rainfall and wind strength were amplified by human-induced climate change, with rainfall up to 20% heavier and winds up to 7% stronger.
The consortium noted that elevated temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico – something climate scientists have warned about for years – likely contributed to Helene’s power.
“Although targeted studies are needed to confirm this, it is likely that the unusually high heat content in the Gulf of Mexico contributed to both the rapid intensification of Helen and the exceptional atmospheric river that caused extreme flooding over the southeastern US “, says the consortium. said in his report.
A separate report from the Lawrence Berkeley Lab in California suggested that the impact of warming due to climate change caused 50% more rain in parts of Georgia and the Carolinas than would otherwise have been expected.
“In addition, we estimate that observed rainfall in these areas has become up to 20 times more likely due to global warming,” the report said.
Neither study has been peer-reviewed or published in journals, which is normal for rapid attribution work.
Extensive research has revealed a strong link between climate change and rapidly intensifying and wetter tropical systems, as a warmer atmosphere allows heavier rainfall over land. For every 1 degree Fahrenheit of warming, the atmosphere can hold about 4% more moisture.
More than 150 people have died and hundreds remain missing as disaster response efforts continue in parts of North Carolina. Historic amounts of rain lashed southern Appalachia, flooding entire towns.
The highest official rainfall total from Helene was more than 3 feet over Busick, North Carolina, and radar estimates suggested higher amounts of up to 4 feet could have fallen in more rural areas and at the highest points of the Appalachians.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
