Cyclone rainfall reaches beyond the coast: climate change could worsen flooding

Does living far from the sea protect you from a cyclone? Its rainfall can keep the danger inland. Discover how ocean warming and mountains influence this threat.

The sea may be far away and yet a tropical cyclone can still turn streets into torrents and rivers into threats. When these systems approach land closely enough, their effects continue beyond the coast. Rainfall can cause flooding in inland communities, even after the winds have weakened.

A hurricane’s category measures only its winds: it does not include rainfall or the risk of flooding. Even a tropical storm can cause serious damage through rainfall, especially if it moves slowly or encounters mountainous terrain.

Climate change adds further pressure to this danger. A warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapour, which is available to fuel intense rainfall. Understanding how this moisture, storm circulation and terrain interact is essential for anticipating where rainfall may become concentrated.

An experiment with Cyclone Shaheen

A study published in Scientific Reports examined Shaheen, which affected northern Oman in October 2021. Using simulations with the ICON atmospheric model, at a resolution of 6.5 kilometres, the researchers modified sea surface temperature, …….