Climate change playing a role in record-breaking rain on Delmarva - wrde.com
Climate change playing a role in record-breaking rain on Delmarva | News | wrde.com
DELMARVA - In a month marked by relentless rain, Delmarva finds itself grappling with extreme weather patterns. A warming climate could be leading to relentless rain here along the coast.
Record-Breaking Rainfall
Rainfall totals on parts of Delmarva through December 23, 2023.
Delmarva has become a battleground for major storms, shattering previous rainfall records. The most recent deluge transformed roads into waterways, submerged farmlands, and encroached upon homes. Some areas on Delmarva are poised to break historical December rainfall records, with nearly 9 inches of rain already recorded. Climate scientists are pointing to climate change as a key contributor to these intense rainfalls.
As the climate warms the air is able to hold more moisture and thus heavier precipitation is expected. Courtesy Climate Central.
Erin Dougherty, Ph.D., a Project Scientist at UCAR, emphasizes the link between warming temperatures and intensified storms, stating, “Warmer temperatures bring more moisture, fueling intense storms”. The Northeast has witnessed a 55% increase in heavy rainfall events from 1958 to 2016, drawing strength from the warm Atlantic.
The northeast is seeing the largest increase in heavy precipitation events compared to any other region of the country. Courtesy Climate Central.
The Climate Connection
Warmer oceans are leading to more available moisture and stronger storms along the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast coastline. Courtesy Climate Central.
Dougherty underscores the role of warmer sea surface temperatures in providing additional moisture and fuel for storms, making them more potent and moisture-laden. In a 2020 study focusing on flood-producing storms, Dougherty predicts a prolonged challenge for the East Coast.
“We found that the East Coast, already rich in moisture, is expected to experience up to a 2-inch increase per storm by the end of the century in a warmer climate.”, Dougherty explained.
This revelation raises concerns about the long-term impact of climate change on the region.
Ongoing Concerns
As flooded farmlands paint a vivid picture of the havoc wreaked by recent rains, more heavy rain is on the horizon for the remainder of the month. Flooding will remain a pressing concern for Delmarva.
The story unfolds against the backdrop of an urgent need to address the broader implications of climate change. Delmarva is not merely facing a month of extraordinary weather; it is confronting a tangible consequence of a changing climate.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate science
What began as a theory in the 1890s — that industrial emissions of carbon dioxide could increase global temperatures — had progressed to a scientific fact a century later. Scientists across a range of disciplines are studying the impact of the still-growing concentration of carbon dioxide and other so-called “greenhouse gases” in the atmosphere as they call for industrial and governmental policies to slow, then halt, the warming of the planet.