Overview

• A World Weather Attribution study found human-caused climate change made the April storms 9% more intense and 14 times more likely.
• Unusually warm Gulf of Mexico sea surface temperatures, 1.2°C above normal, fueled the storm's intensity.
• The storms caused catastrophic flooding across eight states, killing at least 24 people and resulting in estimated damages of $80–90 billion.
• Staffing shortages in the National Weather Service, with nearly half of field offices facing over 20% vacancies, hindered real-time warnings.
• Researchers warn that without emissions reductions, similar extreme rainfall events could become 7% more intense and twice as likely by 2100.