Scientists believe global warming is making Spanish storms more intense

While scientists are reluctant to say that any single extreme event was caused by climate change, researchers are quick to point to the role of rising temperatures in exacerbating flooding in Spain.

“There is no doubt that climate change is exacerbating these explosive downpours,” said Dr. Friedrich Otto of Imperial College London, who leads an international team of scientists trying to understand the role warming plays in such events. Role.

“Every time fossil fuels warm the atmosphere, it holds more moisture, leading to greater rainfall.”

Weather researchers say the main cause of the heavy rainfall may be natural weather events that hit Spain in autumn and winter.

Known as a “gota fría” or cold drop, it sees cold air fall over the warm waters of the Mediterranean, which has been experiencing extremely hot weather over the past few years.

The hot, moist air over the sea then rises rapidly, forming towering clouds that are blown ashore and deposit large amounts of rain.

Researchers say climate change directly affects the amount of rainfall these clouds carry, with rainfall increasing by 7% for every 1 degree increase in temperature.

When the rain starts falling, it will increase in intensity and fall on soils that are not good at absorbing large amounts of water.

Professor Mark Smith from the University of Leeds said: “As well as increased extreme rainfall, we are also seeing hotter summers, which bakes the soil and reduces its ability to absorb water.”

“In turn, as more water enters the river, this amplifies the more direct effects of increased rainfall intensity.”

There is also some debate among scientists about whether a warming world will slow down these storms, increasing the rainfall they bring.

This year, we’ve seen some evidence of these types of storms and the damage they can cause.

September, Boris’ violence brings death and destruction The climate in several Central European countries is once again intensified by the heat of the Mediterranean Sea.

Scientists say climate change has doubled the likelihood of this slow-onset disaster.

In Spain, the lack of accurate warnings sparked criticism that more could have been done.

But forecasting the path of fast-moving, intense thunderstorms is tricky, meteorologists say.

“Warnings can be a lifesaver, helping people seek higher ground and safety before flooding occurs. But as we saw in Spain today, issuing severe thunderstorm warnings is very difficult because the exact location of the heaviest rainfall is often not known in advance. Location,” said Dr. Linda Speight of the University of Oxford.

“Forecasters and scientists are working hard to find innovative solutions to this challenge, which is not an easy problem to solve.”

One problem highlighted by the Spanish floods is the inability of modern infrastructure to cope with extreme flooding events.

As some researchers have argued, our roads, bridges and streets were built for the climate of the last century, not our current climate.