A new UTSA study reveals that the 2015 Wimberley floods were exacerbated by flash flooding due to urbanization and heavy rain seasons. The researchers also found that recent years have seen record-breaking floods in Texas, prompting calls for improved storm preparations.
The study found that extreme weather events worldwide coincided with the temperature spike, and natural variability in the climate system was not sufficient to explain it. Researchers projected that record-breaking temperature jumps and accompanying extreme weather events will become more frequent unless greenhouse gas emissions decline.
A study by Penn State researchers found correlations between natural disasters, declining farm income, and opioid overdoses in rural America. Opioid-related deaths are increasing in rural counties, with a 10% rise for every $10,000 reduction in net farm income.
Rutgers researchers warn that abruptly ending geoengineering efforts could lead to rapid warming, devastating droughts, and devastating El Niño events. The study highlights the need for gradual stopping of such efforts to avoid severe biological impacts on ecosystems.
Researchers found that increased fluctuations in the jet stream's path since the 1960s coincide with more extreme weather events, including heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and flooding. The study used tree ring data to reconstruct historical changes in the North Atlantic jet stream prior to the 20th century.
A team of researchers proposes a scenario mapping approach to test disaster preparedness and response to unknown, complex events. They found common vulnerabilities triggered similar cascading effects, suggesting that highly-developed countries are susceptible to M.OR.D.OR scenarios.
Scientists warn of increased river flood risks worldwide due to global warming, with the need for adaptation greatest in the US, parts of India and Africa. The study finds that without additional measures, millions will be exposed to severe flooding, with devastating impacts on communities.
Scientists analyzed various natural hazards like earthquakes, space weather events, and floods to understand their impact on power grid recovery time. The report highlights the importance of integrating risk assessment and management efforts across policy areas and improving cross-jurisdictional emergency management capabilities.
Researchers propose a mechanism for ancient culture evolution tied to environment change and technological development, with varying influences at local, regional, and global scales. The study suggests that sudden disasters, climate change, and technological innovations drove social evolution.
The Mississippi River's course is shaped by sediment and floods, but accumulating sediment downstream of the Old River Control Structure poses a risk to its current path. Research finds that sediment has caused the river floor to elevate and sandbars to grow in volume, diminishing the river's capacity to carry water.
Researchers found that controlled dam pulses and flood magnitudes significantly impact fisheries. The study suggests prolonged drying followed by sudden flooding could increase fish yields by a factor of 3.7, offering a promising solution to sustainable fisheries.
Researchers have proposed a mathematical formula to balance power generation with food security and fish catch in the Mekong River basin. The algorithm recommends long low-flow periods punctuated by pulses of flooding, allowing dam operators to co-manage their priorities and protect livelihoods.
Health professionals, including The BMJ's Editor in Chief Dr Fiona Godlee, back legal action against the UK government for not cutting carbon emissions as required. They argue that climate change has serious implications for human health and wellbeing.
Research at Oregon State University shows that flooding rivers is necessary for maintaining healthy ecosystems and biodiversity. Minor changes in flow patterns can harm plant communities, while severe effects occur when cyclical flooding is removed from the equation.
A study published in Climate of the Past found that climate changes played a significant role in triggering immigration from Southwest Germany to North America during the 19th century. The researchers identified major migration waves linked to extreme weather events, such as the 'year without summer', and found that climate was a major...
New research from the University of Birmingham suggests that rapid global warming could result in more extreme rainfall and flood events. The study found a four-fold increase in sediment delivery from land to the deep ocean during a 56 million-year-old event, likely caused by increased rainfall intensity.
Researchers will use synoptic climatological frameworks to assess predictability of anomalous coastal sea levels. They will also develop extreme event climate change indicators related to human thermal comfort. The aim is to help meteorologists better understand weather patterns for more accurate forecasting.
Tropical Storm Selma has high potential for heavy rainfall due to very cold cloud top temperatures, posing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. The storm is expected to make landfall in western El Salvador on Saturday night, October 28.
Climate change is causing Native Americans in the Mississippi Delta to lose their homes and irreplaceable heritage. Rising sea levels and subsidence are transforming land into marshes, leaving narrow strands of land barely above muddy waters.
A Washington State University study reveals that salmon's mating habits alter stream bed profiles, leading to erosion and changes in the landscape over time. Different salmon species have varying effects on the ecosystem, with some creating new habitats for emerging species.
Researchers found that extreme methane rainstorms occur frequently on Titan, creating massive floods in deserts and shaping the moon's surface. The storms are correlated with the formation of alluvial fans, similar to those on Earth.
Researchers created a model, STORM, to simulate watershed rainfall under various climate change scenarios. They found that while overall rainfall is increasing, individual storms are becoming less intense and delivering less water, leading to declining runoff and affecting regional water resources. This study provides insights into the...
A team of WSU researchers has documented one of the Earth's largest known volcanic eruptions, which occurred in the Pacific Northwest and released massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. The eruption is estimated to have been equivalent to a Mount Tambora-style eruption every day for 11-16 years.
Tropical Storm Nate is forecasted to produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides across a wide area of Central America. The storm's center is expected to move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea, reaching the eastern coast of Mexico before moving into the southern Gulf of Mexico.
Stanford researchers found that managed soil can trap more carbon dioxide than previously estimated, potentially offsetting future emissions. Improving land management practices like reduced tillage and perennial crops could increase soil's carbon storage.
Tropical Depression 16 developed in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on Oct. 4, according to NASA imagery from Terra and Aqua satellites. The depression is forecast to bring heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash floods to parts of Nicaragua, with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph.
Seongjin Noh, a UTA civil engineer, has received a two-year grant to improve the quality of forecasts based on the National Water Model. He will use data assimilation to create a streamflow data assimilator that can predict floods and droughts more accurately.
Scientists discovered that plastic marine debris was transporting non-native species from Japan to North America and Hawaii after the 2011 tsunami. This phenomenon suggests a significant increase in the role of marine debris as a vector for invasive species due to climate change and coastal urbanization.
Rivers need more space, diversity, and freedom to protect species and prevent devastating floods. Floodplain landscapes are crucial for sediment retention and natural flood protection.
Researchers analyzed over five decades of data to find that changes in non-extreme precipitation are more significant than previously realized. The study highlights the importance of examining precipitation in a nuanced way, as even small changes can have a substantial impact on ecosystems and resource management.
Professor Matthias Scherer and his team at TUM discovered new facts about Gumbel's life, including his statistical analyzes of court proceedings and newspaper articles. The researchers found that 326 out of 354 political murders by right-wing factions went unpunished, highlighting Gumbel's pioneering work in modern data journalism.
Researchers analyzed over five decades of precipitation data from North America to find that changes in nonextreme precipitation are more significant than previously realized and larger than those in extreme precipitation. These changes can have a strong effect on ecosystems, agriculture, infrastructure design and resource management.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured Hurricane Max making landfall and quickly weakening, with the storm degenerating into a large area of low pressure. The coldest cloud tops were found around the center of circulation and over the coast of Guerrero state, indicating storms that reached high into the troposphere and generated heavy rain.
Historic legacies of empire have increased Caribbean states' vulnerability to climate change, with unequal power relationships and limited resources hindering their ability to address the issue. Dr Leon Sealey-Huggins argues that addressing historical inequalities is crucial for a just and lasting approach to climate change.
Researchers developed a flexible geostatistical model that captures both types of asymptotic dependence and accurately estimates extremal dependence type. The new model outperforms other typical models in terms of fit to the data and spatial prediction of extreme wind speeds.
A Rice University and Texas A&M-Galveston study found that FEMA's 100-year flood plain maps failed to capture 75 percent of flood damages from five serious floods. The research suggests that innovative computational tools can build more predictive maps, improving flood risk assessments.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology propose a new way to gather and share information during natural disasters that does not rely on the internet. Using edge computing, mobile phones, routers, and other hardware can create a network, enabling emergency managers and first responders to share and act on information gathered fr...
A recent study found that extreme weather events do not significantly increase support for climate policies, even among those who experienced severe weather. The study suggests that other factors, such as political beliefs and party affiliation, play a much larger role in shaping attitudes towards climate change.
Tropical Storm Katia is developing near Mexico's east coast with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and forecasted to produce 5-10 inches of rain over northern Veracruz. Strengthening is expected, potentially making it a hurricane before approaching the coast.
Hurricane Lidia made landfall on the Baja California peninsula, bringing soaking rains and threatening life-threatening flash floods. The storm's strongest storms surrounded its center, with coldest cloud top temperatures exceeding minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tropical Storm Lidia is producing heavy rain and life-threatening flash floods in Mexico. Infrared data shows two areas of strong thunderstorms with extremely cold cloud tops, indicating potential for intense rainfall.
A new study predicts shorter flood intervals for US coastal cities when considering both ocean water level rise and river flow, increasing overall flood risk. Researchers warn that as sea levels continue to rise, compound effects will further exacerbate coastal flooding.
Researchers discovered four major outburst floods at Lake Catalina, releasing up to 240 Hiroshima-bombs' worth of energy. The next flood is predicted to occur soon, possibly in 2018-19, with scientists attributing the increase to global warming and glacier melt.
Researchers at the University of York discovered that ancient Engaruka's irrigation systems and terraces were built to capture eroded sediments, benefiting farming practices for centuries. The study highlights the importance of this method of farming in sub-Saharan Africa and its potential applicability to modern day farming techniques.
Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 is organizing east of the Lesser Antilles, with heavy rainfall expected to cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. The system is expected to move through the Windward Islands and into the eastern Caribbean Sea on August 18.
A global analysis of rainfall and rivers reveals more intense flooding in cities and smaller catchments, coupled with a drier countryside. This is attributed to rising local temperatures causing more evaporation from moist soils, leading to reduced water flows in rural areas.
A study by Vienna University of Technology reveals that climate change has a real impact on flood events in some regions, causing them to shift in timing. The magnitude of the flood does not provide enough information to detect the impact of climate change, whereas the timing provides valuable insights into its effects.
An analysis of 50 years' worth of data reveals that climate change is causing rivers to flood earlier in the spring in western and northeastern Europe. This shift is largely attributed to changes in soil moisture retention and increased snowmelt due to warmer temperatures.
Tropical Storm Franklin generated heavy rain when observed by NASA's GPM satellite, with rainfall rates exceeding 1.6 inches per hour around the center and south of its circulation. The storm is expected to bring life-threatening flash floods and mudslides to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
A study projects that two-thirds of Europeans will be affected by extreme weather events annually by the end of the century. Heat waves are expected to cause 99% of all future weather-related deaths, increasing from 2700 deaths/year in 1981-2010 to 151500 deaths/year in 2071-2100.
A global framework study shows that new dikes can effectively address flood risk, with benefits outweighing costs. The research provides critical information for policymakers, identifying regions where efficient investment in flood protection is needed.
A global study concludes that building dikes to reduce flood damage yields economic benefits, outweighing initial costs. The researchers found that some regions can even avoid higher flood damages by 2080 with effective investment in flood protection measures.
The Indian summer monsoons have strengthened in the last 15 years over north central India, reversing a 50-year drying period. This increase in monsoon rainfall is attributed to a shift in India's land and sea temperatures, with higher land temperatures combining with lower ocean temperatures.
LSU researchers are awarded grants from the National Academies of Sciences and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study inland-coastal environmental conditions, community health, and adaptive capacity. The projects aim to improve resilience in Gulf Coast communities, with a focus on building a Culture of Health.
A new study by James Hansen's team estimates that to limit global warming, we need negative emissions through technologies like carbon capture. If emissions continue high, young people may have to spend up to 500 trillion euros on CO2 extraction, but rapid phase-down of fossil fuels can achieve this at relatively low cost.
Researchers at KAUST have developed a systematic method for comparing the accuracy of different types of simulation models for predicting extreme events. The study found that nonparametric methods are more flexible but limited to small dimensions, while parametric methods can handle higher-dimensional problems but are sensitive to errors.
Research by Lancaster University found that remote Amazonian cities are more vulnerable to environmental pollution, contaminated water, and health risks. Experts emphasize the need for 'adaptive capacity' through improved public services and disaster response planning to mitigate these effects.
A team of researchers led by Cody Ross measured water flow in the vadose zone, a critical region under the soil surface. They found that in the southeastern Canadian Prairies, old water accounted for a significant portion of streams, contradicting previous research.
A recent study by Louisiana State University researchers found that urban development has declined in coastal flood zones nationwide, but grown in inland counties. This trend poses a significant risk to populations living in inland flood zones, who may not be aware of the hazards despite migrating to coastal areas.
A new study reveals that rising CO2 levels reached a tipping point, triggering sudden temperature shifts of up to 15°C in the Northern Hemisphere during ice age periods. The findings add to evidence suggesting that gradual climate changes can lead to abrupt surprises.