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Drought Fuels Deadly Texas Flood
6 Aug
Summary
- Drought worsened a Texas flood, killing 120 people.
- New York City experienced 12 consecutive days of measurable rain.
- Climate change links drought and intense rainfall events.
A devastating flood in Texas last July, which resulted in 120 fatalities, was intensified by a preceding prolonged drought. The parched landscape was unable to absorb the subsequent heavy rainfall, leading to dangerous runoff conditions.
This event underscores the interconnectedness of extreme weather. While wildfires raged in the West, New York City endured 12 consecutive days of measurable rain, causing flooding in vulnerable areas and prompting official warnings. Some US cities have historically experienced long rainy spells, with Seattle holding a record of 33 such days.
Climate change can simultaneously create severe drought in one area and intense downpours in another, or even within the same region. Data for this analysis was primarily sourced from NOAA and other climate research organizations.
