Connecticut has been experiencing heavy, damaging rain as of late.
According to Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist at the Western Connecticut State University Weather Center, Connecticut may likely experience heavy flooding this summer, reported The Hartford Courant.
So far, Connecticut has already seen four storms come up the East Coast this year, reported Joe Furey, co-chief meteorologist for WTNH News 8, reported The Hartford Courant.
“We’re going into the height of the tropical season and we can’t handle any more water,” Furey said, reported The Hartford Courant. “We’re setting ourselves up for extreme, catastrophic flooding in parts of the state if these tropical systems, or remnants thereof, come and get us as we head through later August and into September.”
Bradley International Airport saw rainfall measurements that are 1½ inches away from surpassing the highest-ever monthly rainfall record, according to Bob Cox, a meteorologist with WTIC 1080 AM, reported The Hartford Courant.
July 2021 has already seen 9.6 inches of rainfall, which is more than seven inches above the average level.
According to Lessor, since June 1 2021, Connecticut’s official recording station at Windsor Locks has measured 12.41 inches of rain. He added that the normal rainfall level is somewhere around half of that, at 6.56 inches, reported The Hartford Courant.
Since the beginning of 2021, Connecticut has seen a total of 29.28 inches of rain compared to a normal level of 24.45 inches. 2020 saw 18.05 inches, reported The Hartford Courant.
According to The Hartford Courant, rain has mostly been occurring in the state’s northern counties, with July being one of the wettest Julys on record in Connecticut. The extreme weather can be linked to ocean warming as a result of climate change, according to climate experts.
“The warmer these oceans get, the more moisture the atmosphere can handle and the bigger the flooding situations, the bigger the storms, the bigger the hurricanes,” Furey said, reported The Hartford Courant. “That’s why we get very worried that we’re setting ourselves up right now for major flooding.
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