Hurricane Helene and a preceding rainstorm have resulted in over 40 trillion gallons of rain falling on the Southeast United States, causing catastrophic flooding and over 100 fatalities. Meteorologists emphasize the exceptional volume of precipitation, the conditions leading up to it, and the potential influence of climate change on storm intensity and rainfall amounts.
In a staggering incident of rainfall, more than 40 trillion gallons of rain fell upon the Southeast United States recently, attributed to Hurricane Helene and an additional rainstorm preceding it. This exceptional volume of precipitation is comparable to filling the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium approximately 51,000 times or could completely fill Lake Tahoe. If the rainfall were distributed solely over North Carolina, it would result in a depth of 3.5 feet or more than 1 meter. To further illustrate, this quantity of water could fill over 60 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. Ed Clark, the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Center, expressed astonishment at this event, noting, “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 in extent and the sheer volume of water that fell from the sky.” The damage caused by the flooding has been described as catastrophic, with over 100 fatalities reported. Ryan Maue, a private meteorologist and former chief scientist at NOAA, estimated that out of the 40 trillion gallons of rain that fell across the eastern United States, 20 trillion gallons were concentrated in Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Florida due to Hurricane Helene. Maue’s calculations utilized satellite data and ground observations in a grid of 2.5 miles by 2.5 miles. Clark corroborated this estimate, suggesting that the total amount of precipitation may even be slightly understated. This unprecedented rainfall stemmed from a rare set of circumstances involving multiple storm systems. Before Helene made landfall, heavy rain had persisted due to a low-pressure system that became detached from the jet stream, which typically guides weather patterns from west to east. This stalled system allowed for considerable influx of warm moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, compounded by another unnamed storm along North Carolina’s Atlantic coast that brought rainfall totals up to 20 inches. Additionally, Hurricane Helene, one of the most substantial storms in recent decades, provided ample precipitation due to its intensity and rapid movement prior to impacting the Appalachian region. Meteorologists highlighted that the mountainous terrain exacerbated the situation, as rainfall in elevated areas inevitably led to increased runoff. Clark, Maue, and Kristen Corbosiero, a hurricane expert from the University of Albany, noted that mountain interactions further enhanced moisture extraction from the atmosphere. In North Carolina, record rainfall was observed, with Busick receiving a staggering 31.33 inches and Mount Mitchell experiencing over 2 feet of rainfall. The rainfall statistics from recent hurricanes have prompted scientists to reconsider what was previously thought possible. Clark reflected, “Before 2017’s Hurricane Harvey, I said to our colleagues, you know, I never thought in my career that we would measure rainfall in feet.” He emphasized a troubling trend where extreme weather events are increasingly characterized by significant rainfall associated with climate change. Corbosiero and Kathie Dello, North Carolina’s state climatologist, noted that warmer atmospheric temperatures allow for greater moisture retention, resulting in more rainfall during storms. Recent analyses suggest that climate change may have contributed to a 50% increase in rainfall during this event in certain areas of Georgia and the Carolinas. Dello remarked, “We’ve seen tropical storm impacts in western North Carolina. But 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 topic at hand entails a monumental rainfall event that recently impacted the Southeast United States, primarily due to Hurricane Helene and an associated storm system. The extraordinary precipitation measurement raises considerations regarding extreme weather phenomena and their connections to climate change. Experts are analyzing the implications of such notable rainfall volumes, both from meteorological and climate perspectives, as increasingly severe storms become an alarming trend in today’s weather patterns.
In summary, the Southeast United States has experienced an unprecedented rainfall event that resulted in over 40 trillion gallons of water falling within a week, primarily from Hurricane Helene. Meteorologists have noted the severe consequences of such heavy rainfall, leading to significant damage and loss of life. This occurrence not only underscores the complex interplay of storm systems and geographical features but also raises critical discussions regarding the impacts of climate change on weather patterns. As rainfall continues to intensify, the implications for future storms and their associated risks must be closely monitored and addressed.
Original Source: www.pbs.org
