<
https://theconversation.com/floods-cyclones-thunderstorms-is-climate-change-to-blame-for-new-zealands-summer-of-extreme-weather-201161>
"The final months of New Zealand’s summer carried a massive sting, bringing
“unprecedented” rainfalls several times over, from widespread flooding in
Auckland at the end of January to ex-tropical Cyclone Gabrielle dumping record
rains and causing devastating floods across the east coast of the North Island.
After all that, New Zealand experienced spells of thunderstorms, bringing
repeat floods to parts of Auckland and then Gisborne.
The obvious question is what role climate change plays in these record-breaking
rainfalls.
Some answers come from the international World Weather Attribution team, which
today released a rapid assessment which shows very heavy rain, like that
associated with Cyclone Gabrielle, has become about four times more common in
the region and extreme downpours now drop 30% more rain.
The team analysed weather data from several stations, which show the observed
increase in heavy rain. It then used computer models to compare the climate as
it is today, after about 1.2℃ of global warming since the late 1800s, with the
climate of the past.
The small size of the analysed region meant the team could not quantify the
extent to which human-caused warming is responsible for the observed increase
in heavy rain in this part of New Zealand, but concluded it was the likely
cause."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
