Why hurricanes are doing more damage: It's us, not the storms
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Why hurricanes are doing more damage: It's us, not the storms
Three catastrophic hurricanes made U.S. landfall within 30 days of each other last year, causing more than $250 billion in losses.
By the time the winds died down and the floodwaters receded, Harvey, Irma and Maria were three of the five most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history - and 2017 was the costliest hurricane season ever.
But despite that exceptional cluster of storms, it's not that hurricanes are getting stronger or more frequent that's making them more expensive.
It's that there's more in the way for the storms to destroy.
As Hurricane Florence takes aim at the Carolinas this week, emergency management officials, meteorologists and insurance companies are looking as much at what's in its path as they are the strength of the storm itself.
"The damage trend is obviously through-the-roof up, but most of that trend is due to population growth along the coastline," said Phil Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University. "There's just more people in harm's way, unfortunately. And not only are there more people, but we're more affluent than our parents were."
Those moving to the coasts are living in larger houses and own more cars, but their houses are also closer together. That means more impervious surfaces - such as roads and rooftops - and less area for the floodwaters to go.
So even as better construction methods have reduced the wind damage in many places - especially Florida, where Hurricane Andrew in 1992 inspired an overhaul of building codes - storm surge and flooding have taken over as the primary concern.
The frequency and intensity of hurricanes have ebbed and flowed throughout the last century, but there has been no measurable increase in either over that time, several studies have found. If anything, in fact, there has been a slight decrease.
That doesn't mean that climate change isn't having an effect. As sea levels rise, storm surges are reaching farther inland.
And one study published in July showed that tropical cyclones across the world are actually slowing down. James Kossin of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found the average hurricane slowed about 10 percent from 1946 to 2016.
Slower hurricanes - such as Hurricane Harvey - can dump more rain on an area before moving on, adding to their destructive power.
Last year's blitz of hurricanes was all the more unusual because the East Coast had enjoyed more than a decade of relative calm. Before Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in August 2017, the last major hurricane to hit the continental United States was Wilma in 2005.
Forecasters say it's too soon to tell how destructive Hurricane Florence will be - but it has the potential to be on par with last year's historically destructive storms.
"Florence is going to pose a triple threat of impacts in terms of high winds, coastal surge and then inland flood," said Steve Bowen, a meteorologist with risk management firm Aon Benfield.
He said much will depend on when, where and how fast it hits ground.
"You like to say in sports that it's often a game of inches," Bowen said. "In this case, it's a matter of miles that can make a difference of billions of dollars."
Tags
Who is online
92 visitors
It is true that we dont often hear of hurricanes hitting unpopulated areas any more. I guess every inch of shoreline is developed, more or less.
And all of NASA and NOAA satellites, aircraft, ships at sea and boots on the ground work towards accuracy.
Interesting reading thanks for seeding it .. makes sense to me .. yet one thing not mentioned regarding less area for the floodwater to go - is the filling in of and building on natural wet lands for those bigger houses. No one lived there before because of swamps, ponds, marsh areas ect ..
Human nature being what it is, you always assume the big storm is going to hit somewhere else, and of course, it usually does.
Good point..
We were powerless from Sandy for 11 days, but that was nothing to my friends who lived on the canals of the south shore. The homes all lost their bottom floors ( and remember we build with basements, too). But we never had a storm surge that entered the tunnels of NYC and flooded the whole Wall Street area. That was one nasty hurricane!
I can't imagine living in a house without a basement.
Here in Arkansas and much of the southeast, the water table is very close to the surface so houses don't come with basements
Basement pics
I would love to have a basement. I would turn it into guest quarters and it would also be a place to just relax.
Here in the land of Oz we dig basements and storm shelters due to the twisters.
That is very nice. A good place to have a glass of wine and read a book
People here buy storm shelters. My daughter's in-laws put one under their garage in case of tornadoes. That means they have to move their car out of the way when a twister is bearing down on them. I prefer a hallway or a bathtub.
Don't move to Florida, no basements because of the water table.
Storm shelters are good, if you have a tornado but, in a hurricane it can be a death trap, most are underground so, if you have flooding you end up in a box full of water, in a hurricane like this one you will have flooding.
I have no desire to ever move to Florida, too hot, I love have 4 seasons.
We don't worry much about hurricanes but on occasion we get a tropical depression up from the Gulf and that can cause flooding.
I gotta agree lady, I lived in Florida most of my childhood and, when I learned that there were actually four real seasons, well, I had to have them.
Many storm shelters around here started out as fallout shelters.
Recently met a guy who lives in an old nuclear missile silo.
Lived around here most of my life and didn't even know it existed.
" The frequency and intensity of hurricanes have ebbed and flowed throughout the last century, but there has been no measurable increase in either over that time, several studies have found. If anything, in fact, there has been a slight decrease.
That doesn't mean that climate change isn't having an effect. As sea levels rise, storm surges are reaching farther inland."
E.A Seems that More some read, the less they comprehend!
Read on " Conveyor changes " read what I posted Months ago about " Algorithms " and how they are no longer Viable because of the " Colder Nights and Hotter Days "
See what was the Original " Track " for Florence, and how much it has changed and it is YET to change, with the possibility that the LOW on the West will Join up!
But … But … But !!! SO much for " Speak your Mind " and NT!! Right!
Update::
Notice Jacksonville, Tallahassee Are almost the meeting point of the two storm systems, The Highs on either side and the Lows in the Middle mean that they both have one way to go, and that is?
All those in the storms " Line of Fire " take care and Godbless, for NO man/Woman can do anything but as the " evolutionists " would say Hope that Something comes from Nothing!
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?rid=lix&overlays=11101111&product=N0R&loop=yes
Pretty sure it is warmer nights.
E.A Sure but not Scientific, You should know me by Now!
"
What is stressing and killing these mosses?
The scientists discovered evidence of a drying climate affecting the plants.
When their study started, the moss beds were dominated by a species called Schistidium antarctici, which can survive long periods under water. By 2013, many of the beds the team studied were being encroached by two other moss species that thrive in drier conditions and are less tolerant to being submerged.
East Antarctica, the researchers say, has become colder, windier and drier due to the combined effects of climate change and ozone depletion."
E.A If you want me to rehash what I said to you and others myriads of times about " The Ozone Layer acts as a Blanket …. "
Again, I say overpopulation is our biggest problem
Couldn't agree more.
If I lived in an area prone to these hurricanes, I would have Atlas Movers on speed dial. It would not take long at all to load up as much as possible and get the hell out of Dodge.
I've lived in the land of Oz most of my life and have never seen a tornado.
Update 2::
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/151752.shtml?
PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 270 DEGREES AT 3 MPH...6 KM/H
A preliminary report from a cooperative observer near Swansboro,
North Carolina, indicates that more than 30 inches of rain has
fallen so far. That rainfall total breaks the tropical cyclone
rainfall record of 24.06 inches for North Carolina set during
Hurricane Floyd in 1999.
WIND: Tropical storm conditions will continue today in portions of
the warning area along the coast and also over large portions of
eastern North Carolina and extreme eastern South Carolina, with
tropical-storm-force wind gusts spreading well inland.
TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible in southeastern North
Carolina northeastern South Carolina today through tonight.
SURF: Swells generated by Florence are affecting Bermuda, portions
of the U.S. East Coast, and the northwestern and central Bahamas.
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip
current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather
office.
NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
Next complete advisory at 500 PM EDT.
$$
Forecaster Stewart
The Auto update of::
4.1 Eagle Averro replied to Eagle Averro @4 2 days ago
Shows exactly what I stated about the " Weather Pattern " So the Effective " Zone " of Florence now extends to Alexandrea and New Iberia.
And all the way East to Canada! Rain is Making New Records, and it has a while to go!
A livestock farm in eastern North Carolina photographed by Waterkeeper Alliance on Monday.CreditRick Dove/Waterkeeper Alliance
Excess nitrates in groundwater, such as those associated with pig manure, are linked with health problems like blue baby syndrome. In some cases of the syndrome, nitrogen binds to the hemoglobin in a baby’s blood and makes red blood cells unable to carry oxygen. The syndrome’s name comes from the fact that the lack of oxygen causes the baby’s skin to take on a bluish tint. The syndrome can also be caused by heart defects.
Part of the problem, said Alexis Andiman, an associate attorney with the environmental nonprofit law firm Earthjustice, is that storm standards for pig lagoons currently date from the 1960s.
Florence Floodwaters Breach Coal Ash Pond and Imperil Other Toxic Sites
What ever happened to the Nuclear Plant and how much power was it producing during the Crises, and how " Green was/is it "?
E.A ..::
Florence’s Floodwaters Breach Defenses at Power Plant, Prompting Shutdown
E.A ::
Florence Flooding Limits Road Access to Duke Nuclear Plant
By Reuters
(Reuters) - Duke Energy Corp said on Monday that its Brunswick nuclear power plant in North Carolina remained safely shut down despite limited road access to the site due to flooding from storm Florence.
The remnants of Florence, which came ashore as a hurricane on Friday, are still dropping heavy amounts of rain on the already waterlogged Carolinas, with officials warning the worst is yet to come as swollen rivers pose a growing threat.
Duke spokeswoman Mary Kathryn Green said there was road access to the Brunswick site but it was "limited access." She said there were about 300 people at the plant. There are usually more than 900 workers.
Over the weekend, Duke said that on-site conditions had prohibited the plant staff "from accessing the site via personal vehicles due to flooding of local roads," according to an unusual event report made available on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's website on Monday.
Submerged by Florence, North Carolina’s Rural Towns Fight for Attention
Out of sight of the national spotlight on the devastation of Hurricane Florence, many small towns worry about being washed away unnoticed.
Credit
Ilana Panich-Linsman for The New York Times
"
The evacuees at the gym said they were anxious to get back. They said they loved Ivanhoe and the way people there helped one another. Charles Lee, 62, half joked that if he helped one neighbor replace their drywall, others would notice and he would soon be doing the entire town’s.
Returning carries some dread. Elvira Malinek spent days digging channels to try to drain water from her house before she finally gave up and hailed a helicopter. She does not expect to be home for another week and does not know what she will find.
“The disaster just really starts for us now,” she said. "
Millions of Carolina Homes Are at Risk of Flooding. Only 335,000 Have Flood Insurance.
Here’s why the federal flood insurance program won’t pick up the slack.
Flooding in North Carolina, as Seen From a Drone By Niko Koppel and Bedel Saget
So How does that Joined Storm Front look so far?
Hackensack, N.J., was the scene of more than a dozen water rescues after flash flooding on Tuesday.
Credit
Bryan Anselm for The New York Times
By Nick Corasaniti and Michael Gold
Sept. 25, 2018
Members of the Hackensack Fire Department’s Marine One unit evacuated a man on South Newman Street, a Hackensack, N.J., roadway prone to flooding.CreditCity of Hackensack Fire Department
What is this seed about?
Good to see so many interested in what is happening NOW in real life to their fellow Citizens!