New England is the fastest-warming region in the country due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream Current, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Rhode Island in particular is warming at 0.3 degrees Fahrenheit per decade, according to RIDOH. Since 1900, temperatures have increased by a total of three degrees. This warming can lead to weather in the region becoming more severe, according to oceanography professor at the University of Rhode Island, Isaac Ginis.
On May 16, 2024, Narragansett, Rhode Island was hit with six inches of rain that also led to flash flooding, according to Ginis.
On September 5, 2022, Rhode Island was hit with 10 inches of rainfall in a six-hour period, according to Ginis. One and a half to three inches of rain in a short period of time can lead to flash flooding, according to Ginis.
The flooding was so extreme that parts of I-95 were forced to shut down and the National Weather Service in Boston deemed it a “200-year rainfall event.”
These are just two instances of many of how Rhode Island has been impacted by extreme weather trends as a result of warming temperatures.
Ginis spoke to members of the Metcalf Institute in a lecture titled “When It Rains It Pours” in June of 2024. He focused on the increased rainfall and precipitation being observed in Rhode Island and neighboring states.
Ginis argues that while climate change itself and warming temperatures may not be directly consequential, its link to extreme weather is the problem.
“If the temperature is just slightly warmer on average, it’s not a big deal, right, so you can think about maybe for Rhode Island it’s not a bad thing that our temperature is a bit warmer,” Ginis said. “But what are the implications, and that’s a very important question.”
Scientists have documented the increasing temperatures of the oceans as a result of global warming, according to Ginis. As water evaporates from the ocean into the air, the size of clouds and water droplets grows. It starts to rain once the clouds cannot hold any more water droplets.
“One of the implications of the warming of the ocean due to climate change is the increased moisture supply into the atmosphere, or increases in the evaporation,” Ginis said.
As the Earth warms, global warming leads to warmer oceans and the atmosphere holding more water, according to Ginis. This lead to increases in rainfall and other forms of weather becoming more severe, such as hurricanes.
The East Coast in particular has had a significant increase in precipitation and rainfall events in the last 20 years, according to Ginis. Ginis said scientists estimate a 51% increase in precipitation by the end of the century and an over 100% increase during the winter.
With the increase of these extreme rainfall events, the danger of flash flooding occurring also increases, according to Ginis. Flash flooding occurs when rain falls too fast for the soil to absorb it. These floods can compromise water quality and force dams and wastewater facilities that are sensitive to flooding to shut down or increase their failure risk.
As the oceans warm, scientists are also seeing problems with sea levels rising due to glacier melts, according to geosciences professor at URI, Thomas Boving. Some issues that arise from the rise in sea levels are house floods and water source contamination.
“That’s because the ocean water is slowly creeping inland because the higher sea level is polluting the groundwater to the point where people have to find a new water source, and that’s not so easy,” Boving said.
Through research and working with decision-makers in the state government, Ginis hopes Rhode Island can become more resilient to extreme weather. This can come from better weather predictions and improved infrastructure.
“Obviously at this point, we know this is happening, the frequency of these events will continue to increase, the severity will continue to increase,” Ginis said. “At this point, we do not know whether we will be able to mitigate climate change. So far we haven’t been successful.”
It is important for scientists to inform people, especially officials and decision-makers, about where changes can be made to save lives, according to Ginis.
“I think the main, at least nature of focus, should be on mitigation and adaptation,” Ginis said. “Be better prepared for this type of extreme weather event.”
