In recent weeks Europe sweltered under intense heatwaves, while southern South America had record low temperatures. How far is global warming driving these events?

The Gulf, which borders Texas, has become significantly warmer in recent years due to climate change, Swain explained. This results in a very warm body of water that produces a lot of evaporation, releasing more tropical moisture into the air than seen historically.

Central Texas is infamous for its flash flooding and arid soil, hard-packed ground into which water does not easily infiltrate. So when rain hits the ground, it runs off the region’s hilly terrain and canyons and accumulates into creeks and rivers rapidly, overwhelming them, causing them to rise quickly.