Hurricane Helene and a pre-existing rainstorm caused over 40 trillion gallons of rain to fall on the Southeast United States, resulting in severe flooding and over 100 deaths. The combined impact of multiple storm systems and climate change has led to unprecedented rainfall levels, prompting concerns from meteorologists about increased weather extremes.
Hurricane Helene, accompanied by another rainstorm, unleashed over 40 trillion gallons of rain across the Southeast United States in just one week, which is an unprecedented volume of precipitation that has astonished meteorologists. To put this in perspective, this immense quantity could fill the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium 51,000 times or Lake Tahoe once. In the context of North Carolina, such rainfall would create a depth of over 3.5 feet (more than 1 meter), potentially filling over 60 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. Ed Clark, the director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Center, remarked, “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 of an extent and the sheer volume of water that fell from the sky.” The aftermath of the rainfall has led to catastrophic flooding, resulting in over 100 fatalities according to reports. Private meteorologist Ryan Maue calculated the total precipitation based on satellite and ground measurements, concluding that 40 trillion gallons had fallen in eastern United States, with Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Florida receiving approximately 20 trillion gallons from Hurricane Helene alone. Clark verified Maue’s calculations and indicated that the figure could be regarded as conservative, suggesting as much as an additional 1 to 2 trillion gallons may have been recorded in regions like Virginia. To provide further context, this amount of rain exceeds the combined total of two significant reservoirs in the Colorado River basin—Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Meteorologists indicated that this extreme event resulted from a combination of multiple storm systems. Prior to Helene’s arrival, heavy rainfall had been occurring due to a persistent low pressure system that became detached from the jet stream and stalled over the Southeast, which allowed for moisture to funnel in from the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, a storm that did not achieve named status off the coast of North Carolina intensified the situation, dropping as much as 20 inches of rain in some areas. Adding to these factors, Helene itself was a large, moisture-laden storm that intensified quickly before hitting the Appalachian Mountains, creating further potential for runoff as it targeted high elevation regions. North Carolina’s weather officials reported the maximum rainfall of 31.33 inches recorded in the small town of Busick, with some locations in Mount Mitchell receiving over 2 feet of precipitation. This situation has been alarming; Clark noted that he previously believed measuring rainfall in feet would be a rarity until recent events highlighted otherwise, such as Hurricane Harvey and subsequent storms. According to climate experts, the frequency of such torrential rains is increasing due to climate change, which allows the atmosphere to retain nearly 4% more moisture for every degree Fahrenheit of warming—an increase that is evident as global temperatures have risen more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 degrees Celsius) since pre-industrial times. The debate among meteorologists continues regarding the extent to which climate change influences storms like Helene. Preliminary analyses suggest that climate change has contributed up to 50% more rainfall in certain areas during this event, reinforcing the notion of heightened tropical storm impacts in regions previously less affected, as noted by Dello, the state climatologist.
The article discusses the impact of Hurricane Helene and an accompanying weather system that resulted in an extraordinary volume of rainfall across the Southeast United States, specifically highlighting the unprecedented amount of 40 trillion gallons. It examines the implications of such precipitation on flooding, the resulting fatalities, and the methods used by meteorologists to calculate rainfall amounts. The discussion also touches upon the influence of climate change on weather patterns and precipitation, providing insights from meteorologists and climatologists on the current state of severe weather events in relation to historical trends.
In summary, the recent rainfall induced by Hurricane Helene and preceding storms exemplifies the increasing severity and frequency of such weather events, drawing attention to the significant challenges posed by climate change. The astronomical amount of over 40 trillion gallons of rain has led to catastrophic flooding and loss of life, prompting meteorologists to reevaluate the impacts of contemporary storms in light of climatic shifts. This event underscores the urgent need for ongoing research and preparedness in addressing the ramifications of extreme weather in a changing climate.
Original Source: www.pbs.org
