Climate Change Exacerbated the Severity of Hurricane Helene, Study Reveals

A study by the World Weather Attribution determined that climate change significantly intensified Hurricane Helene, leading to higher wind speeds and increased rainfall. The hurricane caused at least 230 fatalities and extensive damage in the southeastern United States. Researchers found that human-induced climate warming made the storm’s impacts more severe and warned of more frequent extreme weather events in the future.

A recent study conducted by the World Weather Attribution has revealed that climate change significantly intensified Hurricane Helene, which tragically resulted in the deaths of at least 230 individuals and caused widespread destruction across the southeastern United States. The researchers concluded that climate change heightened both wind speeds and rainfall, with torrential precipitation and gales about 10 percent more potent than they would have been in a climate unaffected by human actions. Specifically, the study cited that human-induced warming increased Helene’s wind speeds by approximately 11 percent, translating to an additional 13 miles per hour (21 kilometers per hour). Furthermore, it was estimated that the rainfall brought by the hurricane was about 10 percent heavier due to these climate changes. Co-author Ben Clarke, a researcher from Imperial College London, emphasized the long-term implications of these findings, indicating, “All aspects of this event were amplified by climate change to different degrees. We’ll see more of the same as the world continues to warm.” Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26, exhibiting a record storm surge of 15 feet (4.57 meters) and winds peaking at 140 miles per hour (225 kilometers per hour). The hurricane wreaked havoc across Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia, resulting in extensive damage to remote towns in the Appalachian region and leaving millions without power and supplies. The report also noted that over 40 trillion gallons of rain fell on the affected areas, a figure that would have been significantly lower without the impact of climate change. The study asserted that rainfall events as extreme as those brought forth by Hurricane Helene now occur approximately once every seven years in coastal regions and once every seventy years inland. Tragically, many hurricane-related fatalities were attributed to severe inland flooding resulting from the rainfall. As per the researchers, should the global climate increase by 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) due to the continued burning of fossil fuels, instances of devastating rainfall events would likely increase by an additional 15 to 25 percent.

The context of Hurricane Helene’s intensification can be attributed to the ongoing climate crisis, characterized by rising global temperatures primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels. Studies have increasingly linked extreme weather events to climate change, which alters weather patterns and increases the severity of storms. This particular research endeavors to quantify the influence of anthropogenic factors on natural disasters, providing critical insights into the anticipated frequency and intensity of such events under future climate scenarios.

In summary, the findings of the World Weather Attribution study underscore the alarming impact of climate change on Hurricane Helene, notably in its escalation of wind speeds and rainfall. The evidence indicates that human-induced climatic alterations have made such disastrous weather occurrences more probable and intense. Additionally, the implications of this research stress the urgency for significant reductions in fossil fuel consumption to mitigate future severe weather events.

Original Source: www.aljazeera.com