The tragic flooding that hit Spain’s Valencia region in late October, killing more than 200 people, was a reminder that many so-called natural disasters are, in fact, the result of extreme events enhanced by human factors.
Climate change likely drove the intense rainfall behind the floods, which was caused by a weather phenomenon called an isolated high-level depression, also known as a “cold drop” or “cut-off low.” This is where an area of low pressure gets detached from the jet stream and remains static for a long period, potentially drawing in moist air and subjecting the region beneath to prolonged adverse weather.
The Intergovernmental Panel