Deadly Rivers in the Sky

The Washington Post reports that rising global temperatures are leading to ever more extreme rainfall around the world. Since the 1990s global heating has dramatically increased the amount and movement of water vapor in the Earth’s atmosphere , in some regions by more than 15 percent. These “invisible rivers” of vapor act like atmospheric fire hoses: and when they encounter disturbances such as mountains or cold fronts, they can unleash devastating downpours. 

The Post's article Deadly Rivers in the Sky begins with an animated globe visualization showing the movement of moisture plumes around the world. As you progress through the article the globe rotates to show how these plumes have contributed to extreme weather events like the 2024 Valencia floods, Super Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia, and Hurricane Helene in the United States. All these events were fueled by exceptionally strong moisture plumes driven by warmer oceans and altered wind patterns.

The investigation highlights global hotspots - including South Korea, the Mediterranean, parts of South Asia and West Africa - where elevated vapor flows increasingly coincide with extreme rain. In these regions, heavy-rainfall days have risen significantly, overwhelming infrastructure and causing repeated disasters. Scientists stress that stronger vapor transport guarantees ever more intense storms as global warming continues.