Once upon a time, few people other than sailors gave much thought to hurricanes, except for people living in some warm-climate coastal regions. But with climate change, hurricanes are becoming more common and more severe. As coastal populations grow, more communities are affected by hurricanes. Even if you live far from the ocean, hurricanes can affect you beyond the summer. beach vacation schedule.
The hurricane worsens, producing more storm debris, further damage inland.it is increase insurance premium rate It's not just beachfront properties. As more people choose to migrate to avoid these risks, communities farther from the coast are more likely to experience demographic shifts. Here's what you need to know about hurricanes, no matter where you live.
another kind of storm
Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are all names for the same weather phenomenon, and scientists call a type of storm „Tropical cyclone” A tropical cyclone is a rotating, low-pressure thunderstorm that occurs over tropical or subtropical waters. You can think of it as a wet tornado. When winds reach sustained speeds of 114 mph, a storm becomes a hurricane.of Saffir Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale Classify tropical cyclones on a scale of 1 to 5 based on maximum sustained wind speed. The higher the wind speed, the higher the category, and the more likely the hurricane will cause damage. Katrina and Maria are examples of the worst known storms in history.
For historical and cultural reasons, tropical cyclones will be called Hurricanes that form in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and central and eastern North Pacific. When they occur in the South Pacific or Indian Ocean, they are called cyclones. Storms that develop in the northwestern Pacific Ocean are called typhoons.
climate change
Hurricanes, by whatever name they are called, draw heat from warm ocean air and release it through rain as thunderstorms, orbiting around a quiet center called the eye.as a cause of climate change ocean temperature As it rises, the area where hurricanes can form expands. sea level rise Furthermore, the risk of flooding and storm surge damage may increase in inland areas.
like wildfire seasonhurricane season is It's getting longer. Seven of the past eight years have experienced named storms (storms with sustained winds of 39 mph or greater) outside of the traditionally accepted June to November season. In 2023, it was in January. In recent years, hurricanes seem to be: more general, This means the hurricane season has become more active.but EPA maintains Improved ability to detect storms before they make landfall and changes in how storm intensity is measured may be responsible for the apparent increase in tropical cyclone activity.Both, whether the hurricane is already getting worse or not. U.S. Global Change Research Program And that Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Tropical cyclones are predicted to become more intense throughout the 21st century, with increased wind speeds and more intense rainfall.
Hurricane impact
Insurance companies and disaster response experts are less cautious about increasingly severe hurricanes. New records for disastrous hurricane seasons were set in 2005, 2017, and 2017. in 2020.
The hurricane season since 2015 has produced more storms than usual, with tropical cyclones accounting for 363 weather disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damages from 1980 to 2023. Occurred caused the most deaths and the most damage. Hurricanes have killed 6,890 people since 1980 and caused more than $1.3 trillion in damage, with an average cost of $22.8 billion per hurricane. In addition to the cost of human life and physical damage, hurricanes produce large amounts of non-recyclable and often toxic materials. millions of rubble for safe disposal.
There is a growing movement to create a new category for the most extreme hurricanes. Category 6 Applies to hurricanes with sustained winds in excess of 192 miles per hour. Since 2013, he has had five storms of this strength.
Hurricane response
If you live in an area where hurricanes occur, you should: plan ahead For hurricane season. In other words, emergency supplies kit Store non-perishable food, drinking water, medicine, and other important items.
Over 3.3 million Americans I became a refugee due to a natural disaster. In 2022, more than half of that will be due to hurricanes. Planning a temporary relocation no longer seems like an alarming activity.In fact, almost one third of Americans The study cited climate change as a reason for migration. Move to higher ground further inland, or Disaster resistant house Worth considering in your area too.
Whether you live in a new home or your current home, please join us. Community resilience Prioritize your efforts and renovation projects – etc. roofing Due to extreme weather – it is make your home more resistant To a disaster. Even though it may feel like your individual actions don't make a difference, your carbon footprint It may be the most important thing you can do to minimize damage from future hurricanes.