Storm surge and seasonal king tides increase sea-level rise concerns
Welcome to Climate Point, your weekly guide to climate, energy and the environment. I’m Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national reporter with Paste BN’s climate and environment team.
As recovery continues in the wake of Hurricane Ian’s destructive path up the East Coast, hurricanes and rising sea levels are on the minds of many.
With questions swirling about the impact of climate change on Ian and other hurricanes and tropical storms, we asked scientists where the science is settled and where active research is still underway. NOAA's Tom Knutson said it's "a topic with a lot of nuance." The evidence shows many Atlantic hurricanes are carrying more rainfall, and a greater percentage of hurricanes are growing stronger faster.
We also asked the experts about the brouhaha over the National Hurricane Center's forecast graphic dubbed the "cone of uncertainty." Studies show many in hurricane prone areas misinterpret the forecast track cone and the center says it's studying ways to improve communication. The hurricane center also released its storm surge estimates for Fort Myers Beach, Florida, near where Ian made landfall, concluding the water reached as high as 15 feet above ground.
On North Carolina’s Outer Banks, a roadway is being destroyed and people are happy about it, writes Gareth McGrath. Water and sand had covered the area three times just during September, as Hurricanes Earl, Fiona and Ian sent the Atlantic Ocean surging inland.
Coastal flooding isn’t just an issue during hurricanes. Sea level rise means flooding during seasonal high tides, like the king tides in mid-October. In California, a recent storm surge caused waves that shifted rail tracks near San Clemente.
It also means millions of Americans are more vulnerable than ever to flooding and damage. There are things to consider if you're contemplating buying a home on the water. Clayton Park and Dave Berman reported some Florida homeowners find living in paradise comes with a cost.
Flooding also increases the risks of contamination from industrial sites when chemicals, metals and volatile organic compounds are released, Alex Kuffner found.
Resilience and emissions. With the midterm elections looming, Kyle Bagenstose thought it would be a good time to look back at progress on the climate change aspects of 2021’s massive infrastructure act and whether it’s living up to its promises. The bill pledged more than $335 billion toward resilience, public transit and cleaner water.
Even while the nation works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the warmer climate creates conditions conducive to larger wildfires. Elizabeth Weise looked at a study that found a particularly bad wildfire season can easily wipe out gains. California's catastrophic fires in 2020 put twice as many greenhouse gas emissions into the air as the state's reductions in those gases over nearly 20 years.
As warmer temperatures cause greater effects, Weise reported many foresters, arborists and researchers are looking to help trees outrun a climate that is changing faster than they can keep up.
Read on for more, including a look at efforts to prevent big ships from killing more than 80 whales a year along the Pacific Coast and why Alaska officials canceled snow crab harvests after steep declines in their numbers. abundance.
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