Articles | Volume 21, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-897-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-897-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
14 Feb 2017
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 14 Feb 2017
Rapid attribution of the August 2016 flood-inducing extreme precipitation in south Louisiana to climate change
Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Princeton, NJ, USA
Sarah B. Kapnick
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Princeton, NJ, USA
Geert Jan van Oldenborgh
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), De Bilt, the
Netherlands
Kirien Whan
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), De Bilt, the
Netherlands
Sjoukje Philip
Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), De Bilt, the
Netherlands
Gabriel A. Vecchi
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Princeton, NJ, USA
Roop K. Singh
Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, The Hague, the Netherlands
Julie Arrighi
Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, The Hague, the Netherlands
Heidi Cullen
Climate Central, Princeton, NJ, USA
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Short summary
During August 2016, heavy precipitation led to devastating floods in south Louisiana, USA. Here, we analyze the climatological statistics of the precipitation event, as defined by its 3-day total over 12–14 August. Using observational data and high-resolution global coupled model experiments, we find for a comparable event on the central US Gulf Coast an average return period of about 30 years and the odds being increased by at least 1.4 since 1900 due to anthropogenic climate change.
During August 2016, heavy precipitation led to devastating floods in south Louisiana, USA. Here,...
