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The Conversation
The Conversation
Environment
Shuang-Ye Wu, Professor of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, University of Dayton

Why some storms brew up to extreme dimensions in the middle of America – and why it’s happening more often

Floodwaters rise in downtown Hopkinsville, Ky., on April 4, 2025. AP Photo/George Walker IV

A powerful storm system that stalled over states from Texas to Ohio for several days in early April 2025 wreaked havoc across the region, with deadly tornadoes, mudslides and flooding as rivers rose. More than a foot of rain fell in several areas.

As a climate scientist who studies the water cycle, I often get questions about how extreme storms like these form and what climate change has to do with it. There’s a recipe for extreme storms, with two key ingredients.

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