Human-induced climate change amplification on storm dynamics in Valencia’s 2024 catastrophic flash flood

Global warming alters the hydrological cycle, increasing heavy rainfall events worldwide. In October 2024, Valencia (Spain) experienced rainfall accumulations in a few hours surpassing annual averages (771.8 mm in 16 h in the official weather station at Turís) and breaking the record for one hour rainfall accumulation in Spain (184.6 mm), resulting in 230 fatalities. Here, we present a physical-based attribution study employing a km-scale pseudo-global warming storyline approach to assess the contribution of anthropogenic climate change. We show that present-day conditions led to a 20% °C⁻¹ increase in 1-hour rainfall intensity, exceeding Clausius-Clapeyron scaling. This intensification was driven by enhanced…

• MD
  Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades

  Awards: PRE2020-092343, FPU18/00824, 10.13039
• UC
  Universidad Complutense de Madrid
• ER
  European Regional Development Fund

  Awards: FPU18/00824, MICIU/AEI/10
• AE
  Agencia Estatal de Investigación

  Awards: 13039, 10.13039, AEI/10, AEI/10.