A recent flash study conducted by World Weather Attribution (WWA), a collaborative of international scientists, has revealed that human-caused climate change significantly intensified Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of the United States. The study analyzed weather data and climate models to determine the impact of climate change on the storm, concluding that the warming climate facilitated the formation of the storm by making high sea temperatures that fuel the storm 200 to 500 times more likely. The researchers found that ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico were about 2C above average, which contributed to the strengthening of the storm. This warming ocean water allowed the storm to tap into an enormous amount of heat energy, leading to record-breaking rainfall totals of over 40 trillion gallons of water dumped onto the region.
The study’s findings are concerning, as they suggest that continued burning of fossil fuels will lead to more hurricanes like Helene, with “unimaginable” floods well inland, not just on coasts. In fact, many of those who died in Helene were victims of massive inland flooding, rather than high winds. The scientists warned that the consequences of climate change will be devastating, with increased frequency and intensity of storms like Helene and Milton. The study’s findings are supported by a separate analysis conducted by the Department of Energy Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, which concluded that climate change caused 50% more rainfall in some parts of Georgia and the Carolinas, and that observed rainfall was “made up to 20 times more likely in these areas because of global warming.”
Hurricane Helene (Image via Getty)
Kim Cobb, director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, emphasized that while there are uncertainties in exactly how much climate change is supercharging storms like Helene, it is clear that it is increasing the power and devastation of these storms. She urged emergency preparedness, resilience planning, and the increased use of renewable energy sources to mitigate the effects of climate change. The study’s findings serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and the general public, highlighting the urgent need for action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy.
As Ben Clarke, a study co-author and climate researcher at Imperial College London, warned, the future trajectory of climate change and its impacts are not set in stone. “We still have control over what trajectory this goes in as to what risks we face in the future, what costs we pay in the future. That just hinges on how we change our energy systems and how many more fossil fuels we burn.” The study’s findings underscore the critical need for immediate action to address climate change and prevent the devastation that it will bring.
