Receive free climate change updates by subscribing to our myFT Daily Digest email. Stay informed about the latest climate change news every morning. Scientists have linked the recent flash floods around the world to the high temperatures that have been baking the ground, making it less capable of absorbing water. This comes after a season of record-breaking heatwaves across various regions.
Last week, Europe and the US experienced extreme rainfall, leading to devastating consequences. Hong Kong, for example, was paralyzed as rain from Typhoon Saola flooded metro stations and trapped cars, causing schools and the stock exchange to shut down. The Hong Kong Observatory recorded the highest hourly rainfall since 1884, with over 158mm of rain falling between 11pm and midnight local time.
Japan was also hit by tropical storm Yun-yeung, which brought the heaviest daily rainfall to some eastern regions since records began. Mobara received 392mm of rain in a 24-hour period, the most the city has seen since 1976.
Southern Europe and the Mediterranean region were battered by storm Daniel, causing floods in central Greece. After weeks of scorching summer heatwaves, the Greek plains received up to 800mm of rain in just 24 hours, which is equivalent to more than a year’s worth of rainfall. The city of Larissa, an important agricultural hub, suffered significant loss of crops and houses as river banks burst, while the city of Volos experienced flooding, with houses, roads, and cars affected. The popular tourist island of Skiathos was also impacted.
Spain also experienced exceptional levels of rainfall compared to historical records. Toledo received 91.8mm of rain in 24 hours, while Puerto de Navacerrada had 114.8mm of rain in a 48-hour period.
Scientists believe that the record temperatures could be contributing to the increased rainfall and flooding. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the period from June to August this year was the hottest on record, with an average temperature of 16.77 degrees. This is 0.66 degrees higher than the average for the period from 1990 to 2020. Europe had its fifth warmest summer temperatures on record, with an average of 19.63 degrees, which is 0.83 degrees above average.
Copernicus also reported above-average rainfall in western Europe, Turkey, central Europe, Scandinavia, California, and western Mexico from June to August, leading to floods in these regions. Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus, explained that the increase in temperature allows the atmosphere to hold more water vapor, which leads to more intense precipitation.
The high temperatures have also dried out the ground, making it less able to absorb moisture from rain. This creates excess runoff, further contributing to the floods. Professor Mark Macklin, director of the Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health, noted that the heatwave and wildfires have exacerbated the situation by baking the ground and burning vegetation.
Although the evidence is less robust over the Mediterranean, experts believe that the warming sea and atmosphere can also contribute to the increased intensity of precipitation. Greece’s mountainous terrain exacerbates the flooding, as the bare bedrock surfaces result in high rates of runoff when heavy rainfall occurs.
The extreme conditions across Europe could also be influenced by an “omega block” over the region. If the jet stream breaks down due to storm activity in the north Atlantic, areas of high pressure can become trapped between areas of low pressure. This leads to unusual heat in some parts, like the UK, while others, such as Spain and Greece, experience stormy conditions.
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