A powerful storm has swept across the central and southern United States, triggering deadly tornadoes and record-breaking floods from Arkansas to Michigan. So far, eight people have been confirmed dead, and more than 33 million are under flood watches across 11 states. The national weather service has warned of a “life-threatening, catastrophic, and potentially historic flash flood event” in the coming days.
Rescue efforts are already underway, including in Nashville, Tennessee, where emergency teams have been saving people stranded by fast-rising waters. As the storm continues to move slowly through the region, experts say the worst may still be ahead, with soils already soaked and more rain on the way.
While detailed scientific studies are still needed to confirm how much climate change contributed to this specific event, climate scientists say the larger pattern is clear: a warming planet is making storms like this more dangerous and more common.
Marc Alessi, a climate science fellow at the Union of Concerned Scientists, explained it this way: “In a world without fossil fuels, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime storm. But with global warming, these kinds of events will become more frequent.”
The science behind it is simple but sobering. As the planet warms, more water evaporates from oceans and land into the atmosphere. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture about 6 to 7 percent more for every 1 degree Celsius increase in temperature. That moisture eventually comes back down as heavier rain. In some areas affected by this storm, as much as 15 inches of rainfall are expected.
This storm is being fed by the unusually warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which is sending huge amounts of moisture into the atmosphere. That’s helping create the conditions for more intense flooding. And while the relationship between climate change and tornadoes is still being studied, the impact on rainfall is clear.
Cities are struggling to keep up. Much of America’s urban infrastructure was built for a climate that no longer exists. Streets, gutters, and sewer systems were designed to quickly move moderate rainwater away not to handle back-to-back days of intense downpours. Once the ground is fully saturated, there’s nowhere left for the water to go.
What’s happening now is a warning, experts say. The government’s own climate assessments show that rainfall is becoming more extreme, and economic losses from flooding are growing. And unless cities adapt quickly, the risks will only increase.
Scientists will now analyze the data to understand how much extra rain fell due to the warming atmosphere and ocean. But one thing is certain: as the planet gets hotter, it isn’t just getting drier — it’s getting wetter too.