New data reveals a startling change in how hurricanes are killing people: 'It's a different type of problem'
Hurricane Helene killed more than 230 people in 2024. But unlike past hurricanes, its most deadly force wasn't the storm surge but its relentless rainfall and the flooding that followed.
The flooding swept away entire homes and destroyed families, even in areas once considered to be low-risk for hurricane fatalities.
Helene's devastation highlights how the threat of hurricanes is changing. The New York Times reported that new data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) showed that 78% of Helene's deaths were in areas considered to have a low risk for hurricane deaths.
Since 2013, freshwater flooding has become the primary cause of death from tropical cyclones, per FEMA. Before then, storm surge was the main cause of death.
The percentage of tropical cyclone-related fatalities due to freshwater flooding increased from 27% between 1963-2012 to 57% between 2013-2022. And the proportion of wind-related fatalities has risen by 4% between the same periods.
Michael Brennan, the director of the National Hurricane Center, told the New York Times, "It's a different type of problem that we need to think about."
Hurricanes and other extreme weather events have always existed. But scientists say Earth's rising temperatures make them stronger and deadlier. Journalist and climate tech investor Molly Wood even dubbed rising temperatures "steroids for weather."
Research from World Weather Attribution and Climate Central found that rising temperatures contributed to record-breaking floods and storm destruction in 2024.
Bernadette Woods Placky, the chief meteorologist at Climate Central and one of the study's authors, explained that, "If humans keep heating the climate, we will keep seeing storms rapidly morph into monster hurricanes, leading to more destruction."
Warmer climates can make hurricanes wetter by increasing sea surface temperatures. When this happens, there's more water vapor in the atmosphere, producing heavier rainfall.
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Several hurricanes, including Helene, have caused devastating rainfall and damage in recent years. Hurricane Harvey produced 50 inches of rain in some areas in 2017. And CNN reported that warmer global temperatures caused 2022's Hurricane Ian to be 10% wetter.
Scientists are hard at work developing new technologies to predict, plan, and prevent devastation from extreme weather events. For example, MIT scientists created an AI-powered tool that could predict flooding from hurricanes and other weather events. Another technology from DeepMind aims to make weather forecasting more accurate up to 15 days in the future.
On an individual level, you can stay informed on critical climate issues to lessen your impact on the planet. A few great steps: use clean energy at home, cut back on single-use plastics, and use more sustainable methods of transportation, like biking. Also, supporting environmentally friendly policies that aim to protect the planet will always be helpful.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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