Florence was the second rainiest storm in 70 years, calculates meteorologist

WASHINGTON – Hurricane Florence was the second most rainy storm in the country in 70 years, calculated a high-level meteorologist. According to Ken Kunkel, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and North Carolina State University, only last year's Hurricane Harvey rained on an area of ​​14,000 square miles for four days.

Scientists have said that climate change is likely increase in total precipitation for both storms.

Kunkel's preliminary analysis revealed that more than 17.5 inches had fallen on average on five weather stations in the 14,000 square miles of the eastern Carolinas, extending from Fayetteville, NC, to Florence , in South Carolina. The amount comes after Harvey's 25.6 inches on the Gulf Coast, including the Houston area.

"It's a lot of water," Kunkel said.

The third rain storm occurred in March 2016 in northern Louisiana. The three rainiest and four of the top seven have all happened in the last three years – which, according to Kunkel, is not a coincidence.

Kunkel, who specializes in the analysis of rainfall data from thousands of weather stations, has based his work on precipitation since 1949, the year in which records extended to the continental United States. Kunkel examined precipitation over a compact area – 14,000 square miles, a number based on latitude and longitude squares – and larger areas such as 20,000, 30,000, and 80,000 square miles.

The unusual amount of Florence was particularly visible on a small scale.

When the scientist examined a larger area, 20,000 square miles, Florence fell to seventh place behind Harvey, Hurricane Georges in 1998, the two rainy rains of Louisiana, Northern California in 1962, and Texas In 1994.

The analysis has not yet been published or peer reviewed, but will be, Kunkel said.

It is "not surprising – but always terrifying – that the first two giants have occurred in the last two years," said Michael Mann, a climatologist at the University of Pennsylvania, who was not part of Kunkel's research. He said that warmer oceans, more humidity and slower thunderstorms due to climate change make storms more rainy.

The coast of Carolina still feels this week the impact of Florence, floods causing a slow catastrophe. The rivers swollen by the incessant rains continue to flood houses and businesses on their paths as water heads towards the sea.

In a part of Conway, South Carolina, on Tuesday, houses were surrounded by six feet of water, reported WBTW, a subsidiary of CBS. "They are all great people who have lost everything," said Bob Joncas, whose home is in a Conway neighborhood.

The Waccamaw River, which runs through the city and floods at 11 feet, was expected to rise to 21.7 feet Wednesday. On Friday, he surpassed the previous record of 17.9 feet set in 2016 by Hurricane Matthew.