Latest news with #AndrewFreedman
Axios
30-04-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Louisiana's climate anxiety, mapped
New Orleanians are stressed about climate change, recent estimates find. Why it matters: The rest of Louisiana isn't as anxious. The big picture: 74.1% of adults in New Orleans say they are "somewhat" or "very" worried about climate change, per estimates from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication based on survey data. In Jefferson Parish, it's 64.3% of adults. The national average is 63.3%, with higher anxiety levels in coastal communities and large cities. The findings paint a stark picture of how attitudes toward climate change vary nationwide. Zoom in: About 53% of adults in Louisiana's coastal parishes, which face the brunt of hurricanes and coastal erosion, report feeling anxious about climate change. Cameron Parish had the lowest rate of concern (44.4%), with Jefferson Parish having the highest. Catch up quick: South Louisiana has endured one extreme weather event after another in recent years. Residents have dealt with saltwater intrusion, extreme drought, super fog, flooding, tornadoes and marsh fires. Hurricane Francine made landfall here last year, and the region was battered by Hurricane Ida in 2021. The historic snowfall was magical, but it was a nightmare for the region's infrastructure. What they're saying: While the map above may look like a sea of purple, "it's crucial to remind people that the vast majority of the population exists in some of these green places," says Jennifer Marlon, executive director of the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions and senior research scientist at the Yale School of the Environment. Zoom out: A Gallup survey this month showed an uptick in the number of Southerners who have experienced an extreme weather event where they live, writes Axios' Andrew Freedman. 28% of respondents said they experienced a hurricane in the past two years, up from 18% in 2023, the survey showed. Climate change is projected to lead to more frequent occurrences of severe hurricanes (though not more frequent hurricanes overall) and is already showing a tie to increased instances of rapid intensification of storms. Climate change is also causing these massive storms to deliver more rainfall than they used to, leading to inland flooding disasters. How it works: The findings are based on statistical modeling using data from nationally representative Ipsos surveys. Between the lines: Individual attitudes about climate change are not based entirely (or perhaps even primarily) on local risk, with politics, education, and other factors playing big roles.
CNN
21-04-2025
- Climate
- CNN
Andrew Freedman Joins CNN as a Senior Reporter
April 21st, 2025 WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 21, 2025 – Andrew Freedman joins CNN Climate & Weather as a Senior Reporter, the network announced today. Previously, Freedman served as a Senior Climate Reporter with Axios and was an author of the daily Axios Generate newsletter. He covered climate science and policy, extreme weather, and the energy transition. Freedman has also broken multiple key stories on the Trump Administration's plans for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service. Before Axios , Freedman was previously with The Washington Post, where he served as an editor for the Capital Weather Gang. Freedman covered science research and policy, with a focus on climate change, extreme weather, and the environment. He was among the first reporters to popularize the term 'polar vortex' during the infamous East Coast winter of 2013 to 2014. Freedman has also reported for Mashable, Climate Central, and other publications in the past. Freedman has won several awards throughout his extensive career, including an award for Professional Excellence in Climate Reporting from the Association of Foreign Correspondents in the United States in 2024, the National Press Foundation's Innovative Storytelling Award in 2022, and the Society of Environmental Journalists Award for Outstanding Explanatory Storytelling in 2018. Freedman holds a master's in Climate and Society from Columbia University and a master's in law and diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts. Freedman will be based out of CNN's Washington, D.C., bureau.
Axios
08-04-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Indianapolis rainstorms intensify with climate change
Rainstorms are getting more intense in Indianapolis and many other U.S. cities amid human-driven climate change, a new analysis finds. Why it matters: The Indy area is still dealing with damage and flooding caused by severe storms that battered the region last week, including a midweek barrage that produced an EF-1 tornado in Carmel and left tens of thousands without power. Driving the news: Hourly rainfall intensity increased between 1970 and 2024 in nearly 90% of the 144 locations analyzed, per a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group. Among the cities with an increase, hourly rainfall intensity rose by an average of 15%. Zoom in: Indianapolis saw its hourly rainfall intensity rise by 14.6%. Zoom out: Wichita, Kansas (+38%), Reno, Nevada (+37%) and Fairbanks, Alaska (+37%) had the biggest gains in hourly rainfall intensity, per the analysis. That Reno is in the top three underscores Climate Central's point that rainfall intensity is rising in places that are generally dry, not just those that get at least a decent amount of annual rainfall. How it works: The researchers divided each location's total annual rainfall by its total hours of annual rainfall, using NOAA weather station data. That approach quantifies how much rain fell for each hour it was raining in a given year — in other words, rainfall intensity. Some locations were not included because their stations haven't consistently collected hourly precipitation data. Between the lines: Human-driven climate change is resulting in warmer air, which holds more moisture and thus can drive more intense precipitation. Hotter temperatures also evaporate more water vapor from lakes, oceans and vegetation. Threat level: Flooding costs the U.S. economy up to nearly $500 billion annually, by one estimate, and is creating "climate abandonment" zones as people flee for safer areas, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports. Researchers have also found that predominantly Black coastal communities may be particularly vulnerable to increased flood risk over the coming decades, Climate Central notes. What's next: The group recommends that people stay aware of their area's flooding risks, and suggests homeowners carry flood insurance and improve their home's resiliency against flooding. What we're watching: How hard the next storm will hit Indianapolis. A hazardous weather outlook from the National Weather Service calls for more rounds of heavy rain that could lead to additional flooding or prolong existing flooding.
Axios
07-04-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Atlanta rainstorms are getting more intense amid climate change
Rainstorms are getting more intense in Atlanta and other U.S. cities amid human-driven climate change, a new analysis finds. Why it matters: More intense precipitation events can cause flash flooding, landslides, dangerous driving conditions and other potentially deadly hazards. Driving the news: Hourly rainfall intensity increased between 1970 and 2024 in nearly 90% of the 144 locations analyzed, according to a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group. In Atlanta, that intensity grew by 13.%. Zoom in: The city over the last 25 years has grappled with heavy and rapid downpours that have led to flash flooding and residents being trapped in their homes. In 2002, Atlanta's Vine City neighborhood was devastated by a flood that destroyed 60 properties (the site of the flooding is now home to Rodney Cook Park, which can capture and store up to 10 million gallons of stormwater). Record flooding killed 10 people and damaged 20,000 homes and businesses when metro Atlanta was relentlessly peppered with rain over a seven-day period Sept. 15-22, 2009, according to the National Weather Service. Between 10 and 20 inches of rain was recorded Sept. 20-21, 2009, NWS reported. When Hurricane Helene moved through Georgia last year, residents in DeKalb County and Buckhead had to be rescued when flood waters moved into their homes. How it works: The researchers divided each location's total annual rainfall by its total hours of annual rainfall, using NOAA weather station data. That approach quantifies how much rain fell for each hour it was raining in a given year — in other words, rainfall intensity. Some locations were not included because their stations haven't consistently collected hourly precipitation data. Between the lines: Human-driven climate change is resulting in warmer air, which holds more moisture and thus can drive more intense precipitation. Hotter temperatures also evaporate more water vapor from lakes, oceans and vegetation. Zoom out: Wichita, Kansas (+38%), Reno, Nevada (+37%) and Fairbanks, Alaska (+37%) had the biggest gains in hourly rainfall intensity between 1970 and 2024, the analysis shows. That Reno is in the top three underscores Climate Central's point that rainfall intensity is rising in places that are generally dry, not just those that get at least a decent amount of annual rainfall. Threat level: Flooding costs the U.S. economy up to nearly $500 billion annually, by one estimate, and is creating "climate abandonment" zones as people flee for safer areas, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports. What's next: The group recommends that people stay aware of their area's flooding risks, and suggests homeowners carry flood insurance and improve their home's resiliency against flooding as able.
Axios
02-04-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Rain is getting more intense in Nashville and around the country
Rainstorms are getting more intense in Nashville and throughout the U.S. amid human-driven climate change, a new analysis finds. Why it matters: More intense precipitation can cause flash-flooding, dangerous driving conditions and other potentially deadly hazards. That's a good reminder to stay up to date on road conditions this week, when storms and heavy rain are expected. By the numbers: Hourly rainfall intensity in Nashville increased by 12% between 1970 and 2024, per a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group. Nearly 90% of the 144 locations analyzed saw an upward trend. How it works: Researchers measured rainfall intensity by determining how much rain fell for each hour it was raining in a given year. Between the lines: Human-driven climate change is resulting in warmer air, which holds more moisture and thus can drive more intense precipitation. Hotter temperatures also evaporate more water vapor from lakes, oceans and vegetation. Threat level: Flooding costs the U.S. economy up to nearly $500 billion annually, by one estimate, and is creating "climate abandonment" zones as people flee for safer areas, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports. Zoom in: Tennesseans know the cost of flooding particularly well. Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene last fall devastated the northeastern part of the state.
