Two rapid-attribution studies released Tuesday found that human-caused global warming made Hurricane Helene stronger and wetter, elements that contributed to the storm's destructive power. A report from ClimaMeter, a consortium that analyzes extreme weather events, found that Helene’s rainfall totals and winds were strengthened by human-driven climate change, with the rainfall up to 20% heavier and winds up to 7% stronger. The consortium noted that elevated temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico — something climate scientists have been warning about for years — likely contributed to Helene's power. "Furthermore, we estimate that the observed rainfall was made up to 20 times more likely in these areas because of global warming," the report added. Copious research has revealed a strong link between climate change and rapidly intensifying and wetter tropical systems because warmer atmosphere allows for heavier rain over land.

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Persons: Helene, — Organizations: Lawrence Berkeley Lab Locations: ClimaMeter, Gulf, Mexico, Gulf of Mexico, California, Georgia, Carolinas, North Carolina, Appalachia, Busick