The Atlantic

Did Climate Change Intensify Hurricane Harvey?

“The human contribution can be up to 30 percent or so of the total rainfall coming out of the storm.”
Source: NASA

Every so often, the worst-case scenario comes to pass.

As of Sunday afternoon, the remnants of Hurricane Harvey seem likely to exceed the worst forecasts that preceded the storm. The entire Houston metropolitan region is flooding: Interstates are under feet of water, local authorities have asked boat owners to join rescue efforts, and most of the streams and rivers near the city are in flood stage.

Some models suggest that the storm will linger over the area until Wednesday night, dumping 50 inches of water in total on Houston and the surrounding area.

“Local rainfall amounts of 50 inches would exceed any previous Texas rainfall

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