Climate Change and Health: Extreme Events: Storms, Floods and Rising Seas

Extreme Events: Storms, Floods and Rising Seas

As the climate warms, we are seeing more frequent and more severe extreme weather events, many involving water. Direct effects from storms and floods can cause injury or death. Indirect effects can include mental and physical health effects from displacement and disruption of important infrastructure such as schools, work, food supply, sanitation and medical care.

As with many extreme weather events, the elderly are among the most vulnerable. In some hurricanes, the difficulties and stresses of moving vulnerable older adults has caused more deaths than the actual storms. 

Resources

News

New Coastal Risk Screening Tool Supports Sea Level Rise and Flood Mapping by Year, Water Level, and Elevation Dataset

Climate Central today announced the release of its global Coastal Risk Screening Tool to generate customizable, localized maps of projected sea level rise and coastal flood risks by year, water level, and elevation.

Climate Matters

2021 Record Rain Days

Climate change is supercharging the water cycle, making the heaviest rains of each year heavier.

Climate Matters

2021 Hurricane Season Preview

Next Tuesday, June 1st, marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season. Read on to see the state of the science on the impacts of climate change on hurricanes.

Climate Matters

The Power of Trees: Fighting Floodwaters

Following last year’s celebration of trees’ many benefits, this year we focus on their ability to reduce flooding from stormwater.

Report

POURING IT ON: How Climate Change Intensifies Heavy Rain Events

Climate change is making the wettest days wetter, heightening flood risks.

Climate Matters

Climate change impacts seniors living near the coast

A new Climate Central report examines how climate change threatens America’s aging coastal population—with rising sea levels and increasing hurricane intensity, posing risks to seniors’ safety, health and financial security.

Webinar

Rapid Response Workshop: Hurricane Season - Impacts

The intensity of the historic 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has been fueled by warmer surface temperatures in the ocean, in part because of the heating effects of climate changing pollution.