Climate change turbocharged the catastrophic floods that submerged southern Brazil earlier this year, making them twice as likely to occur, according to a global scientific study released Monday. Researchers found human-driven warming collided with El Niño’s natural weather patterns to create a ‘one-two punch’ of extreme rainfall 🌪️.
Over 2.3 million people were affected by the disaster, which caused billions in damages and displaced entire communities. Scientists used weather data and climate models to show how rising temperatures increased moisture in the atmosphere, supercharging storm systems. 💡\"This isn’t just bad luck – it’s physics,\" said one researcher.
While El Niño boosted rainfall intensity by up to 15%, climate change remains the dominant driver behind the escalating risk. As global temperatures climb, experts warn such events could become 4x more frequent by 2100 without urgent emissions cuts. The findings land as Brazil’s flood survivors rebuild – and world leaders debate climate action at upcoming UN talks 🌱.
