Recently, there was a tornado near Los Angeles. Is climate change responsible?

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The recent occurrence of extreme weather in California is further compounded by the tornado.

On Wednesday, an unusual occurrence took place when a tornado struck a town located to the southeast of Los Angeles, contributing to the list of extreme weather incidents the area has faced in recent months.

While tornadoes are not uncommon in California, they occur less frequently than in other parts of the country, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration typically observing fewer than 10 each year. The tornado that struck Montebello on Wednesday, damaging 17 buildings, was especially powerful, and according to the National Weather Service, was the strongest to hit the region in the past 40 years.

Following a milder tornado that occurred on Tuesday in Carpinteria, a town located northwest of Los Angeles, and numerous other instances of severe weather in the state, a stronger tornado hit Montebello on Wednesday.

According to a report by Vox's Benji Jones, California has experienced "weather whiplash" this year, with days of intense rain and flooding following a severe drought. The cause of this rain was attributed to "atmospheric rivers," which are narrow water corridors in the sky. This phenomenon appears to be happening more frequently this year and causing significant damage to the state.

The recent tornadoes in California may be linked to the extreme weather the state has been facing. According to Perry Samson, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Michigan, the atmospheric rivers and the heavy rainfall they brought likely created more moisture in the air, creating favorable conditions for tornadoes to form. "Atmospheric rivers" have been occurring more frequently this year, leading to increased instability in the region.

Many climate experts suggest that the heightened intensity of atmospheric rivers could be connected to climate change. However, it is too soon to determine if there is a relationship between climate change and the tornadoes. According to Jase Bernhardt, a professor of geology, environment, and sustainability at Hofstra University, "You cannot link it to climate change because it is a singular event."

It is not common for Los Angeles to witness such extreme weather events. "This is something you see in Ohio, Arkansas... not Montebello," said a witness to CNN.

Amidst the increasing occurrence of extreme weather worldwide in recent decades, a 2020 United Nations report highlighted a significant rise in major natural disasters from 2000 to 2019, compared to previous decades. The report suggested that the increase in instances of flooding and storms could be attributed to global warming.

Although the connection between climate change and these tornadoes remains unclear, what is apparent is that thunderstorms and tornadoes of this scale are not common in this area, and this week's events occurred because the necessary conditions were present. These conditions include warm and humid air near the ground and drier and colder air at higher altitudes. As global warming worsens, warmer air, which contributes to recent extreme weather, may become more frequent, as well as storms. According to the New York Times, climate change causes warmer air, which can retain more moisture and result in increased precipitation.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the tornadoes that hit Carpinteria and Montebello formed when cold air was pushed high into the atmosphere by recent storms, causing it to destabilize and create thunderstorm cells that ultimately led to tornadoes. Such a combination of weather conditions is not common in Los Angeles due to its topography, says Samson.

The Montebello tornado caused significant damage by ripping off a building's roof, resulting in one minor injury, while the Carpenteria tornado affected 25 mobile homes. These tornadoes occurred during a challenging time for the state, which has been dealing with droughts, wildfires, and flooding. Despite this, experts believe that there will not be an increase in tornadoes in California due to unique factors leading to recent incidents. Judah Cohen, a climatologist at MIT, stated that tornadoes are too rare in California to expect an increase in their frequency due to climate change.