Environmental shifts amplified storm Helena's destructive potential
Deadly Toll and Widespread Havoc: Tempest "Helene" Wreaks Havoc in the U.S., Linked to Climate Change
The downpours and gusts of Tempest "Helene," which barreled through the southeastern U.S. towards the end of September, witnessed an intensity boost of approximately 10% due to climate change, as per a swift study conducted by the research collaborative World Weather Attribution (WWA). WWA's co-founder, German climatologist Friederike Otto, explained that although a 10% surge may seem insignificant, "a minor shift in risk proportion can result in a substantial shift in impact and damages."
Tempest "Helene" touched down in Florida on September 26, leaving a path of destruction in its wake and claiming at least 230 lives.
The WWA analysis indicated that fossil fuels, the primary catalysts of global warming, doubled the likelihood of storms akin to "Helene" in the region. This implies that such storms will now crop up every 53 years, rather than every 130 years.
The WWA team concentrated on three facets of "Helene": precipitation, wind speeds, and Gulf of Mexico waters' surface temperatures, which significantly contributed to the hurricane's formation. As co-author Ben Clarke from Imperial College in London put it, "All features of this incident were exaggerated by climate change to a certain degree." He further added, "We anticipate witnessing more occurrences similar to this as the planet continues to heat up."
Presently, Florida is prepping for the incredibly menacing Hurricane "Milton," forecasted to hit the shoreline on Wednesday night.
The devastating effects of Tempest "Helene" in the United States of America resulted in at least 230 fatalities. Due to climate change, storms similar to "Helene" are now expected to occur in the region every 53 years, as opposed to the previous interval of every 130 years in the United States of America.
