As the region gets hotter, severe weather may be more likely to happen. Scientists say it’s important to prepare.
Texas is no stranger to volatile weather. The state leads the nation in heavy weather events in 2024, with 706 hail storms, 530 strong wind events and 96 tornadoes, according toScientists increasingly agree that climate change will increase the threat of severe weather in North Texas over the next decades.
Rising CAPE levels may lead to an increase in the number of days with conditions favorable for severe thunderstorms in Texas,by Texas A&M University in collaboration with Texas 2036, a nonprofit public policy group. But it’s difficult to determine how much more severe and frequent thunderstorms will be.
“We know that we’re going to have to live with extreme weather,” Gori said. “Let’s invest in better flood mitigation, better early warning systems even if it’s just a few hours in advance about flood roads. Let’s invest in upgrades to our power and road systems, because these things can really reduce the impact extreme weather events have.