Articles | Volume 21, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-897-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-897-2017
Research article
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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

Karin van der Wiel, Sarah B. Kapnick, Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, Kirien Whan, Sjoukje Philip, Gabriel A. Vecchi, Roop K. Singh, Julie Arrighi, and Heidi Cullen

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Cited articles

Allen, R. and Burgess, R.: LSU AgCenter predicts floods cost state at least $110 million in crop loss, The Advocate, http://www.theadvocate.com/louisiana_flood_2016/article_a7689806-6946-11e6-a681-ab59c458f55c.html?sr_source=lift_amplify, last access: 26 August 2016.
American Red Cross: Louisiana Flooding: Red Cross Shelters 10,000+ After Worst Disaster Since Superstorm Sandy, American Red Cross, http://www.redcross.org/news/press-release/Louisiana-Flooding-Red-Cross, last access: 23 August 2016a.
American Red Cross: Needs of People in Louisiana Remain Great; Red Cross Still Sheltering 7,000+, Serving Thousands of Meals, American Red Cross, http://www.redcross.org/news/press-release/Needs-of-People-in-Louisiana, last access: 23 August 2016b.
Broach, D.: How many houses, people flooded in Louisiana?, NOLA, http://www.nola.com/weather/index.ssf/2016/08/how_many_people_houses_were_fl.html, last access: 24 August 2016.
Bromwich, J. E.: Flooding in the South Looks a Lot Like Climate Change, The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/17/us/climate-change-louisiana.html, last access: 24 August 2016.
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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.
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