TY - JOUR
T1 - From cause to consequence
T2 - examining the historic April 2024 rainstorm in the United Arab Emirates through the lens of climate change
AU - Francis, Diana
AU - Fonseca, Ricardo
AU - Nelli, Narendra
AU - Cherif, Charfeddine
AU - Yarragunta, Yesobu
AU - Zittis, George
AU - Jan de Vries, Andries
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.
PY - 2025/12
Y1 - 2025/12
N2 - In April 2024, the United Arab Emirates experienced unprecedented rainfall, triggering severe flooding and widespread disruption. Here we investigate the driving mechanisms, localized impacts, and potential influence of human-driven climate change on this extraordinary event. Our findings strongly suggest that anthropogenic climate change is amplifying the frequency of extreme events like that of 16 April 2024. The event was primarily fueled by the interaction of a potential vorticity streamer with an active Red Sea Trough, a powerful upper-level jet, and the advection of warm, moisture-laden air from a warmer Arabian Sea. High-resolution satellite data reveal a clear link between urbanization, population density, and the severity of flood impacts in major cities, alongside a remarkable greening of the desert that lingered into the summer months.
AB - In April 2024, the United Arab Emirates experienced unprecedented rainfall, triggering severe flooding and widespread disruption. Here we investigate the driving mechanisms, localized impacts, and potential influence of human-driven climate change on this extraordinary event. Our findings strongly suggest that anthropogenic climate change is amplifying the frequency of extreme events like that of 16 April 2024. The event was primarily fueled by the interaction of a potential vorticity streamer with an active Red Sea Trough, a powerful upper-level jet, and the advection of warm, moisture-laden air from a warmer Arabian Sea. High-resolution satellite data reveal a clear link between urbanization, population density, and the severity of flood impacts in major cities, alongside a remarkable greening of the desert that lingered into the summer months.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105005117716
U2 - 10.1038/s41612-025-01073-1
DO - 10.1038/s41612-025-01073-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105005117716
VL - 8
JO - npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
JF - npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
IS - 1
M1 - 183
ER -
