The National Center for Atmospheric Research has warned that sustained rising temperatures could cause more frequent and intense flash floods in Louisiana as the skies dump at least 70% more rains over the state.
Local publication Louisiana Weekly said that the anticipated volatile weather in the state will make it riskier for residents to forego getting flood insurance.
State climatologist Barry Keim affirmed the findings in the Louisiana Weekly report.
“The bottom line is: If you live in moisture-laden places like this, and you increase the temperature even a little bit, you’ll see an increase in thunderstorm activity,” he explained in the report.
Greenhouse gases are expected to contribute to the rise in air and ocean temperatures. These effects could increase moisture in the Southeast extending to the Gulf Coast.
Flash floods in the area are expected to cause $8 billion in damage over the next 50 years if climate change is not mitigated; the report quoted Urban Water Plan as saying, based on Federal Emergency Management Authority data.
In August alone, Baton Rouge caught 30 inches of rain from three days of foul weather, causing 13 fatalities and nearly $9 billion in damage. Rescue operations cost nearly $700 million.
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