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Why extreme rains are gaining strength as the climate warms

From Atlantic hurricanes to the Indian monsoons, storms are getting worse and becoming more erratic.
  1. Alexandra Witze
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Residents wade through flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey

Hurricane Harvey in 2017 set records for rainfall. Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Reuters

The downpour began on 13 September, when the centre of Hurricane Florence was still hundreds of kilometres from North Carolina’s coast. As the giant storm lurched towards land, officials ordered more than 1.5 million people to evacuate, warning of “life-threatening” damage. On 15 September, Florence finally crashed into the United States, where it slowed to a crawl and unleashed even heavier rains. In some places, the deluge continued non-stop for four days.

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Nature 563, 458-460 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07447-1

Updates & Corrections

  • Correction 22 November 2018: An earlier version of this story erroneously located Elizabeth Kendon in Reading.

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