While scientists are hesitant to say that a single extreme event was caused by climate change, researchers have been quick to point out the role rising temperatures have played in worsening floods in Spain.

“No doubt, these explosive downpours have been exacerbated by climate change,” said Dr. Friederike Otto of Imperial College London, who leads an international group of scientists trying to understand the role of warming in such events.

“For every fraction of a degree of warming from fossil fuels, the atmosphere can retain more moisture, leading to greater rainfall outbreaks.”

Weather researchers believe the likely main cause of the heavy rain was a natural weather event that hits Spain in the fall and winter.

Called a “gota fría,” or cold drop, it sees cold air descending on the warmer waters of the Mediterranean, where it has been extremely hot in recent years.

The hot, moist air at the ocean’s surface then rises rapidly, resulting in high, towering clouds that are blown onto land and deposit large amounts of rain.

Researchers say climate change directly affected the amount of rain these clouds brought, increasing them by 7% for every 1°C of warming.

When the rain begins to fall, it hits soils with increased intensity that are not able to optimally absorb large amounts of water.

“As well as increasing rainfall extremes, we are experiencing a hotter summer, which can bake the soil and reduce its ability to absorb water,” said Prof Mark Smith from the University of Leeds.

“This in turn amplifies the more direct impacts of increased rainfall intensities as more water enters rivers.”

There is also some debate among scientists about whether these storms will move slower in a warmer world, which would increase the amount of precipitation they deliver.

This year we have seen some signs of a storm like this and the devastation it can cause.

In September, Storm Boris brought death and destruction to several countries in Central Europe, which was exacerbated by the great heat in the Mediterranean region.

Scientists said this slow-moving catastrophe has become twice as likely due to climate change.

In Spain, the lack of precise warnings has led to criticism that more could have been done.

But meteorologists say predicting the path of fast-moving, severe thunderstorms is a very tricky business.

“Warnings can save lives by helping people seek higher ground and safety before flooding. But as we saw in Spain today, it is incredibly difficult to warn of severe thunderstorms because the exact location of the heaviest rainfall is often not known in advance,” said Dr. Linda Speight from Oxford University.

“Forecasters and scientists are working hard to find innovative solutions to this challenge, it will not be an easy problem to solve.”

One problem highlighted by the floods in Spain is the inability of modern infrastructure to cope with extreme flooding events.

As some researchers have noted, our roads, bridges and streets were designed for the climate of the last century, not the climate of today.