Record-breaking rain in California was caused by abnormally high temperatures on the other side of the world, study finds
Scientists have identified a "climate teleconnection" between the Rocky Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau, where warm spots left a kink in the jet stream that intensifed weather in the western U.S.
A new study reveals that unusually high temperatures on the Tibetan Plateau in early 2017 and 2023 triggered extreme rainfall events in California and nearby states. This climate teleconnection, previously unidentified, could enhance forecasts of extreme weather, potentially saving lives and billions in property damage. In December 2016 and February 2023, the plateau experienced warmer-than-usual temperatures, followed by record-breaking precipitation in California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Arizona one month later.
The damage totaled around $6.6 billion, and at least nine lives were lost. State-of-the-art forecasting systems, focusing on ocean conditions like El Niño, failed to predict this extreme rainfall, as noted by study lead author Yongkang Xue. Atmospheric rivers, narrow corridors of intense water vapor, and Rossby waves, which interact with giant atmospheric disturbances, played a role in the heavy precipitation.
The findings, published in Science Advances, could improve early warning systems for coastal communities in the western U.S.
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