The year 2024 has been etched into the annals of meteorological history for its exceptional and extreme weather conditions, principally characterized by unparalleled rainfall and subsequent flooding across various regions globally.

As documented by Chinese and international meteorologists, the findings were reported in a comprehensive study published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.

An international consortium of scientists, led by researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, undertook a meticulous review of the year's most significant weather extremes.

Their research encompassed various phenomena, including heavy rainfall, flooding, tropical cyclones, and droughts, presenting a holistic view of the year's climatic anomalies.

Since its inception in 2022, this annual global review has assessed climate extremes, but the 2024 insights particularly emphasize the remarkable and unusual rainfall and flooding events.

James Risbey, a co-author and researcher from Australia's CSIRO, underscored the inherent unpredictability of extreme weather events.

While many are subject to random weather fluctuations, larger-scale phenomena like El Niño play a pivotal role in shaping regional climate patterns.

The study identifies the atmospheric conditions during the El Niño of winter 2023/24 as a significant factor in the year's extreme rainfall and drought occurrences.

However, the researchers clarified that El Niño alone does not account for every individual event.

In many instances, the weight of human-induced climate change, stemming from the pre-industrial era, has exacerbated the intensity of extreme rainfall, tropical cyclones, and droughts, according to Zhang Wenxia of the IAP. This aligns with basic implications from atmospheric physics, where anthropogenic warming increases atmospheric moisture and evaporative capacity, thereby intensifying such weather extremes.

Despite advancements in understanding and predicting these phenomena, the study flags persistent challenges.

Notably, there is a discrepancy between observed long-term trends and climate model simulations related to extreme precipitation.

This mismatch may derive from uncertainties in observational data, internal climate variability, or model limitations.

Michael Brody from George Mason University highlighted that improving the attribution accuracy of extreme events could guide effective decision-making for activities ranging from immediate post-disaster recovery to long-term preparedness strategies.

Highlighted cases, such as the well-forecasted Hurricane Helene, exemplify the difficulties faced by vulnerable and underprepared communities.

Researcher Wang Zhuo from the University of Illinois points to the exacerbation of impacts owing to these communities' lack of readiness for the challenges posed by evolving climate conditions.

The paper serves as both a scientific record and a call to arms for better forecasting and communication of risks associated with extreme weather, while stressing the intricacies of balancing meteorological research and real-world application in the face of an unpredictable and ever-changing climate.