Maps and charts that explain why Houston is flooding more often

Maps that explain Houston's historic spring floods

A series of major storms swamped large swaths of Houston in May and June 2016.

Click through to see maps that explain how those historic floods happened. Maps that explain Houston's historic spring floods

A series of major storms swamped large swaths of Houston in May and June 2016.

Click through to see maps that explain how those historic floods happened. Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff Image 1 of / 69 Caption Close Maps and charts that explain why Houston is flooding more often 1 / 69 Back to Gallery

Cities all around the world, like Venice or Miami, are beginning to feel the effects of rising temperatures.

As Houstonians struggle with the increased rates of flooding, they too wonder if the city is victim to the changing climate.

Kim McGuire and Mihir Zaver recently wrote an article on the Houston Chronicle detailing how political officials and scientists view Houston's flooding in relation to climate change.

While some scientists seem sure that rising temperatures are to blame for the above-average flooding, officials in Harris County and Houston aren't convinced.

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"We don't knee-jerk react to having a very wet year," Russ Poppe, Executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District, told the Houston Chronicle.

Similarly, Houston's appointed "flood czar" Stephen Costello said he hasn't come to the conclusion that the past two year's of once-a-century storms are due to climate change.

Both officials believe the extreme weather is part of the region's expected and regular climate.

On the other hand, Texas Tech's acclaimed climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe seemed more confident as to why Houston is flooding.

"Human-induced climate change has irrevocably altered the background conditions of our atmosphere," said Hayhoe. "And so everything that happens now has some component of climate change. The question is now, how much?"

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Heidi Cullen, a scientist who helped identity the cause of Louisiana's recent flooding as climate change-related, said "I'm not sure why the flood control district in Houston would need to wait on any data to see how climate change has influenced extreme weather there. It seems like there's enough information at this point."

To read more about what officials and scientists have said about Houston's flooding and global warming, visit Houstonchronicle.com.

For a visual representation click through above to see maps and charts that explain Houston's flooding woes.