Last updated October 15, 2021
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US Severe Storms and Floods April - May 2017

United States

A major slow-moving storm brought heavy rains, dangerous winds, tornadoes, and flooding across much of the central US beginning April 28. States from Oklahoma to Indiana recorded extreme three-day rainfall totals of 5 to 11 inches.[1] Eastern Texas saw two EF-3 tornadoes and Kansas experienced a rare late-season blizzard.  An impressively large area of 100- to 1,000-year rains hammered Missouri[2][4] and the Ozarks were hit by record-shattering flood crests. At least 20 people have been killed.[3]

Climate change is amplifying rainfall across all storm types. One of the clearest changes in the weather across the globe and in the US is the increasing frequency and intensity of heavy rain and snow. A warmer atmosphere holds more water, and storms supplied by climate change with increasing moisture are widely observed to produce heavier rain and snow. Climate change may also be linked to the persistence of slow-moving events such as this by driving changes in atmospheric circulation. While global warming may increase the fuel available for tornadoes, it is not yet possible to determine whether and how climate change may be affecting tornado activity. However, in a changing climate this uncertainty signifies increased risk.

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Flooding April - May 2017